51 Afghans arrive at Entebbe Airport as several Ugandans trapped in Kabul

Fifty one Afghan evacuees arrived at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda Wednesday morning- following an August 15 Taliban takeover in Kabul.

‘‘The evacuees who included women and children arrived aboard a privately chartered plane and underwent necessary security screening as well as mandatory Covid-19 testing and the required quarantine procedures,‘’ the Foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.

The first batch of Afghan nationals was received by the US Ambassdaor to Uganda, Ms Natalie E Brown whose official car was seen exiting Airport premises before buses carrying the refugees left Nas handling services at the facility.

Available information shows that they had been booked into Imperial Resort Beach hotel, Entebbe Municipality in Central Uganda.

”The government of Uganda has once again demonstrated a willingness to play its part in matters of international concern,” the US Mission Uganda said in a statement, Wednesday.

However, scores of Ugandan nationals remain trapped in the now militant led Afghanistan ‘‘due to the challenges of accessing the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.’’

‘‘They were unable to make it. Arrangements are being made to bring them in the subsequent flight,’’ government informed, a day after Talibans issued an August 31 deadline for all foreign forces, including those on evacuation missions to be out of the country.

Western media reported that US President Joe Biden would obey that deadline to pull American forces out of Afghanistan following August 24 talks with his Group of Seven nations (G7) counterparts.

“The sooner we can finish, the better… each day of operations brings added risk to our troops,” Biden said adding that “We are currently on the pace to finish by August 31.”

Those remarks falling as tens of thousands of horrified Afghans continue to flee amidst uncertainty and chaotic scenes even as the Talibans ‘‘encourage them to stay.’’

On August 17, Uganda accepted to temporarily host the refugees from the crisis ridden nation on request from the Washington administration. More evacuees are expected in the East African nation.

US Forces have successfully moved over 70,000 people to separate destinations worldwide since the Talibans toppled President Ashraf Ghani.