Merkel party chief calls Afghanistan pullout ‘biggest NATO debacle’ since its founding

The head of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU party has called the withdrawal of Western troops from Afghanistan the “biggest NATO debacle” since the founding of the US-led military alliance.

“With the Taliban sweeping to power after NATO troops withdrew, it is evident that this engagement of the international community was not successful,” Armin Laschet said at a closed-door meeting of Germany’s Christian Democrat party on Monday.

“It is the biggest debacle that NATO has suffered since its founding, and we’re standing before an epochal change.”

Merkel, for her part, told party colleagues that Germany must urgently evacuate up to 10,000 people from Afghanistan for whom it has responsibility, warning that the fallout from the conflict will last for a very long time.

Merkel stressed that those needing evacuation included 2,500 Afghan support staff as well as human rights activists, lawyers and others whom the government sees as being at risk if they remained in the country. Up to 10,000 people altogether are in need of evacuation, she said.

“We are witnessing difficult times,” the German chancellor added. “Now we must focus on the rescue mission.”

She also said Berlin should cooperate with countries bordering Afghanistan to support those fleeing the war-torn country, adding, “This topic will keep us busy for a very long time.”

Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said at a regular government news conference that no evacuation flights are leaving Kabul airport at the moment because desperate people trying to flee the country are blocking the tarmac.

The spokesman said 40 staff from the German embassy were flown to Doha overnight, and that fewer than 10 staff would remain at Kabul airport to coordinate evacuations.