Staff Writer
A critical and perilous Defence Force mission to evacuate Australians and Afghans from its capital’s besieged international airport is underway with a RAAF transport aircraft flying out of Kabul this morning.
Scene of havoc in recent days have unfolded at the airport and around Kabul after thousands of people frightfully tried to flee from the Taliban as it entered the city.
Flight tracking websites have recorded an RAAF Hercules aircraft heading from a military base in the Middle East towards Afghanistan just after midnight Canberra time.
It briefly reappeared on flight radars in Pakistani airspace this morning after going dark for several hours as it descended into Afghanistan.
Approximately 600 Australians and Afghans are anticipated to be rescued from Afghanistan in coming days.