Afghanistan: Japan to continue bringing citizens home, New Zealand ends evacuations after Kabul airport attack

Japan said the situation remained unpredictable but would continue to pull out its nationals and local embassy staff in cooperation with other countries

New Zealand said it was unable to get everybody it wanted out in time, while Australia said it had pulled out all its troops before the bombings

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A Japanese defence forces aircraft leaves Saitama on August 23, 2021, on an evacuation mission. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 3:41pm, 27 Aug 2021Updated: 12:19am, 28 Aug 2021

Asia-Pacific leaders from Japan to New Zealand on Friday condemned an explosion in Afghanistan that killed at least 85 people, including 13 US soldiers, and left some 140 others injured in an attack believed to include suicide bombers.

The blasts, claimed by Islamic State, left scenes of carnage outside Kabul’s airport where thousands of Afghans desperate to flee their country had massed.

Japan on Friday said it “fiercely condemns terrorism in any form or for any purpose”, but said it would continue to evacuate its nationals, local staff at its embassy and other Japanese entities from Afghanistan in cooperation with other countries.

Australian citizens and visa holders prepare to board an aircraft in Kabul on August 22, 2021. Photo: Australia's Department of Defence/Reuters

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern denounced the “despicable attack”, while Australia’s Scott Morrison described them as “evil” and “inhuman”.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said he had not received any report of deaths or injuries among Japanese nationals and local staff.