The Government jet has been deployed to the Middle East to aid in the evacuation of Irish citizens from Afghanistan.
The Learjet 45, which is operated by the Air Corps and can carry a maximum of seven passengers, was deployed to the region on Tuesday afternoon to support the joint military and diplomatic team that departed for Kabul earlier that morning on a French military flight.
It travelled to Cairo, Egypt via Naples, Italy where it stopped for refuelling. It was expected to travel on to another undisclosed country close to Afghanistan on Tuesday night where it will remain on standby.
The jet was deployed after the Defence Forces advised it would be prudent to have an air asset in the region should the situation at Kabul Airport deteriorate significantly and the Irish team require removal at short notice.
The role of the jet was described as a “contingency measure” and it is hoped it will not need to enter Afghan airspace. Irish citizens will continue to be brought out of Kabul on the military aircraft of other countries.
The move comes as officials warned Ireland is unlikely to be able to evacuate all its stranded citizens before the deadline of August 31st.
The Government has insisted the Irish Emergency Consular Assistance Team (ECAT) will not remain in Afghanistan once the US withdraws its final troops from the capital’s airport on August 31st.
US president Joe Biden has been facing calls from other countries, including Ireland, to delay the final withdrawal to allow for the evacuation of more of their citizens as well as Afghans at risk of reprisals from the Taliban. However the US said on Tuesday the deadline will remain unchanged.
The Irish team, comprising two senior diplomats and a section of the elite Army Ranger Wing (ARW), departed from Casement Aerodrome at 6.30am on Tuesday before landing at a French air force base near Orléans.
They then departed for Hamid Karzai International Airport on board a French military flight where they arrived on Tuesday evening.
The team will base their operations entirely within the airport where they will assist Irish people in getting through the checkpoints and large crowds and arrange for flights on the aircraft of friendly countries.
It is understood the ARW contains communications specialists and medical experts who will be able to assist Irish citizens as they arrive.
Desire to leave
Thirty-six Irish citizens who remain in Afghanistan have signalled a desire to leave. These include 24 adults and 12 dependents.
Sources said it is increasingly unlikely all 36 will be brought out of the country by Tuesday, August 31st, due to a variety of difficulties.
Foremost is the volatile situation in and around the airport where armed clashes between various groups have continued. Getting people through Taliban checkpoints to the airport remains difficult, particularly due to the fact that several of the stranded citizens hold dual Afghan and Irish citizenship.
Most of the remaining people are family units. In some cases some members of the family want to remain while others want to leave, an issue which is causing further complications.
An informed source said that, although the team is expected to withdraw by Tuesday, August 31st, arrangements are being put in place to facilitate emergency repatriations beyond that date. It is understood this may include evacuating people on routes other than through the airport.
On Tuesday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that having an Irish team on the ground in Kabul will maximise the opportunities to get Irish citizens out of Afghanistan and is “a risk worth taking”.
He said the Government is committed to getting Irish people out. “We have places on planes for all these people.”
