In Pictures: Irish Army Rangers rescue Irish in Kabul

Reassuring the locals in Kabul during ECAT Mission to Afghanistan. Picture: Óglaigh na hÉireann

The Defence Forces have released a series of behind-the-scenes images from the Irish evacuation mission that successfully evacuated 26 Irish citizens and residents from the besieged city of Kabul.

The Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT), which included members of the Defence Forces Special Operations Forces unit, the Army Ranger Wing (ARW), was deployed alongside diplomats from the Department of Foreign Affairs to Hamid Karzai International Airport on Tuesday.

“On deployment the team secured the DFA personnel on the ground, liaised with key actors in the airport and assisted DFA in the processing and evacuation of identified Irish citizens/dependents,” a spokesperson for the Defence Forces said.

“The team were also on standby to provide medical assistance if required," they added.

The teams’ deployment and recovery were supported by both the Irish Air Corps and Partner Nation aircraft.

A spokesperson for the Defence Forces said the team are now safely home on Irish soil.

Speaking to RTÉ Drivetime on Thursday, Minister Simon Coveney said the Irish mission was split in two with most of the evacuees leaving on a French plane at 11:30am that morning. The remainder left on a Finnish flight at 3:30pm - the first flight to leave after an explosion outside the airport which left at least 79 dead and wounded 143 more.

Picture: Óglaigh na hÉireann

In total, 36 Irish citizens or residents have been safely evacuated since the Taliban took hold of the city but at least 60 Irish citizens, and 15 Afghan citizens who are normally resident in Ireland, remain stuck in the country.