Taliban hindering evacuation of Afghans: German minister
AFP
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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas adresses the media during a press statement ahead of a special EU foreign ministers' meeting on Afghanistan held by video conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)

Taliban checks at Kabul airport are making it more difficult to evacuate Afghans who worked for Western forces, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday as international forces scrambled to get people out of the country.

"The situation is much more dangerous (for Afghans) because there is no promise of being let through at the Taliban checkpoints," Maas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, adding that German and US forces were working to grant them safe access to the airport.