Government jet to help Army Ranger wing bring home Irish citizens from Afghanistan

The government jet has been sent to provide logistical support to the Irish Ranger Wing. Picture: Óglaigh na hÉireann

Soldiers from the Irish Army Ranger wing have arrived in Afghanistan to begin evacuating the remaining 36 Irish citizens.

They will be stationed at Kabul airport for what has been described as a "short concentrated mission".

The government's private jet has also been sent to the Middle East to act as a contingency.

Meanwhile the US President says he's sticking to his August 31st deadline for pulling American troops out of the country, despite calls for an extension.

Retired Air Corp pilot, Kevin Phipps, flew a similar evacuation mission from Syria 15 years ago - he says it's highly likely the Irish jet will be called into action. 

"Given that the Lear Jet is quite a short-range aircraft, what they'll probably do is position that aircraft maybe in Islamabad. 

"And as the people are funnelled out of Kabul by military transport they'll be put on the Irish military Lear Jet, and then ferried probably back to somewhere in the Emirates, possibly Abu Dhabi, given that the embassy is located there, and then ferried home by civilian flight. 

Simon Coveney said the real challenge was how to get Irish people in Afghanistan from where they were now to the airport

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said yesterday that having an Irish team on the ground in Kabul will maximise the opportunities to get Irish citizens out of Afghanistan.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Coveney said that the situation in Kabul was fluid. 

“On balance, this is the right thing to do.” 

Of the 24 Irish passport holders, plus their 12 dependents, many were of Afghan origin which made it more difficult to get them through the crowds outside the airport, he said.

“We are committed to them.” 

“We want people on the ground (at Kabul airport) to take advantage of any opportunity to get Irish citizens out of Afghanistan.”

The fact that many of the groups were family units made getting them out together more challenging.

We have places on planes for all these people. 

However, Simon Coveney has said not all Irish citizens may be evacuated from Afghanistan by the end of August.

Mr Coveney said on Tuesday: “I don’t want to raise expectations unrealistically, that everybody will get out as a result of this.

“Even beyond August 31, into September, we will continue to work with Irish citizens if they’re in Kabul.”

There has been a lot of cooperation between other EU countries, the UK and the US in relation to flights, Coveney said, however, the real challenge was how to get the people from where they were now to the airport as many were in hiding and it was difficult getting through Taliban checkpoints and the large crowds at the airport.

“We are trying to work with the US who run the airport. The UK has been really helpful on this, they are coordinating points around the airport and have been offering to help Irish citizens.” 

Having the Rangers and diplomats on the ground will help, he said. 

If a window of opportunity opens up, we will have people on the ground. It is a risk worth taking. 

Coveney said the call to send Rangers was made was because of the complexity of getting families out together through the large crowds outside the airport.

“We have an obligation not to miss any opportunity to get any Irish citizens out.” 

The Rangers will not be authorised to leave Kabul airport, they will be coordinating “military to military” which will be helpful.

The dilemma for the Afghan-Irish is that they do not stand out which made their situation more complicated in terms of getting through the crowds, the minister said.

Some 36 Irish citizens and family members are still in Afghanistan.

Mr Coveney said: “The remaining are 24 Irish citizens and 12 non-Irish family members that have visas to come to Ireland. They are predominantly Afghan-Irish, if you like. They’re Irish citizens and we’re absolutely committed to them.”

The deployment is “short and targeted” and they will be out of Kabul in advance of August 31. 

“They will be on whatever planes are available.” 

Mr Coveney defended his change in position about sending the Rangers, saying that the situation had changed on the ground in Kabul and that decisions could only be made on the basis of evidence to hand.

“No one’s going to be abandoned here,” he told RTÉ Radio One.

Mr Coveney said that the Irish Ranger wing was the best at what they did and were among the best in the world having trained with their counterparts from other countries.

Unless US President Joe Biden changes his mind today on the deadline for withdrawal from Kabul, which was set for August 31, it would be a matter of days to get the 36 people out of Afghanistan, said Mr Coveney.

It would be a “short targeted deployment. It’s the right thing to do.”

More time would be better to get people out, he said, but that was a political decision for the US. 

 Nobody else could stay if the US were to pull out of Kabul airport and the Taliban were unlikely to support an extension, he said.