Palace urges Filipinos in Afghanistan to come home amid Taliban takeover

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is urging Filipinos in Afghanistan to come home after the takeover of the Middle Eastern country by Taliban militants.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Filipinos there should coordinate with the Philippine embassy for their swift repatriation as Afghanistan is already under Alert Level 4.

“Nananawagan tayo sa mga Pilipino, nag-Alert Level 4 na tayo. Gumagawa na tayo ng hakbang para tuluyan kayong ma-repatriate,” he said in a Palace briefing.

(We are calling on Filipinos; we are already under Alert Level 4. We are taking steps to repatriate you.)

“So kung pwede kayo makipag-ugnayan sa ating embassy para kayo ay ma-repatriate na dito sa Pilipinas,” he added.

(So coordinate with our embassy so you could be repatriated.)

So far, only about 39 out of about 170 Filipinos there have been repatriated, Roque said.

READ: Filipinos in Afghanistan to be evacuated as security situation worsens

“Nanawagan kami sa may mga kamag-anak sa Afghanistan na pauwiin ninyo na sa Pilipinas ‘yung ating mga kababayan para masiguro ang kanilang seguridad,” he said.

(We are calling on Filipinos who have relatives there to tell them to come home to the Philippines so that they are safe.)

Alert Level 4 is raised when there is a large-scale internal conflict or full-blown external attack, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Under this Alert Level, the Philippine government undertakes mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in the area.

The Taliban have reconquered Afghanistan in a lightning surge 20 years after they were toppled by the US invasion.

READ: Taliban enter Afghan capital as US diplomats evacuate by chopper

They took control of Kabul on Sunday, more than two weeks before the August 31 deadline set by Biden to complete the withdrawal of American troops from the country.

Roque added that he is leaving it up to the DFA with how it will recognize the Taliban-led Afghanistan government.

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