US to use base in Germany for Afghanistan evacuees

Germany, like other Western countries, has sent military aircraft of its own to Afghanistan in recent days to evacuate German nationals and Afghans who worked for its forces.

Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul. (File photo| AP) 

BERLIN: Germany's foreign minister says the United States will use its Ramstein Air Base in western Germany as a temporary transit point to transport people from Afghanistan seeking protection to the United States.

Germany, like other Western countries, has sent military aircraft of its own to Afghanistan in recent days to evacuate German nationals and Afghans who worked for its forces prior to their withdrawal amid the Taliban surge.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement on Friday that the focus is on evacuating as many people from Kabul "as is possible under the very difficult circumstances" and that Germany is working closely with international partners.

Maas said: "We agree with all our partners on the ground that no place on our planes should remain empty."

He said that, as a result, US flights will also take Germans or people named by German authorities to Ramstein, while Germany also will evacuate people from various nations on its own planes.

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