BUDAPEST, 27 August 2021, (TON): The Hungarian Defence Minister Tibor Benko said that Hungary is ending evacuations in Afghanistan after airlifting 540 people including Hungarian citizens and Afghans and their families who worked for Hungarian forces previously.

The two military passenger planes and all the troops involved in the operation have returned safely to Hungary, Benko told a news conference.

Pressure to complete the evacuations of thousands of foreigners and Afghans who worked with Western countries during the 20-year war against the Taliban has intensified, with all U.S. and allied troops due to leave the airport next week.

Hungary had airlifted a total of 540 people from Afghanistan, including Hungarian, Austrian, Afghan and American nationals, flying them by military plane from Kabul to Uzbekistan, and then by commercial airline jet to Budapest.

Benko said “57 families had been airlifted, among them 180 children.”

Benko said “as for Afghan nationals, 87% of them have been evacuated, those who contacted us in time and could remain in contact, we have airlifted all of them.”