Canada airlifted another 121 people from strife-ridden Afghanistan on Saturday, including Canadian citizens and family members as well as Afghan nationals accepted for resettlement by Ottawa and its allies, officials said Sunday.
Canada will work tirelessly to evacuate people from Afghanistan 鈥渇or as long as it is safe to do so,鈥� Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan told a news conference on the frantic effort.
Sajjan said the challenging security conditions in Kabul are changing rapidly, even by the hour, but Canadian personnel are doing everything in their power to get people to safety.
The crowding and violence around the Kabul airport continue to pose a 鈥渕ajor challenge鈥� for personnel, he added.
On the election campaign trail Sunday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh criticized the Liberals for what he described as a sluggish effort to bring residents who previously supported Canada鈥檚 diplomatic and military efforts to safety.
Pressed on whether Canada was doing enough to get people through the airport gates and on to planes, Sajjan said he had to be circumspect about operational details for security reasons, adding various plans are under consideration.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not discounting anything on what we need to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he security situation is extremely dire right now.鈥�
Sajjan was joined by Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau and Women and Gender Equality Minister Maryam Monsef.
鈥淭he stories coming out of Kabul are heartbreaking. People are scared. They fear for their lives, and they鈥檙e taking significant risks to try to get to safety,鈥� Garneau said.
鈥淭he panic we see in emails and hear during phone calls really drives home the gravity of the situation. We are walking this difficult road with them, helping them step by step to get to safety.鈥�
Mendocino said Canadian personnel 鈥渉ave the full operational discretion to take whatever actions are necessary to get as many people into the airport and onto those flights as quickly as possible.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e instructed that processing be accelerated, resources be added and that all red tape be cut without compromising security.鈥�
He also offered assurances that Canada is in 鈥渃onstant contact鈥� with everybody that has applied under its programs, providing direction on how to stay as safe as possible.
Government officials confirmed on Saturday that Canadians had evacuated 106 Afghans from the Kabul airport on Friday and brought them to a safe third country.
Friday鈥檚 flight was Canada鈥檚 second out of Kabul since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban last weekend.
The first left Thursday, with 175 fleeing Afghans and 13 foreign nationals on board.
Officials said the Afghans on Thursday鈥檚 flight are bound for other countries, while the 106 on Friday鈥檚 are destined for settlement in Canada.
All of the Afghan evacuees on the first two flights were interpreters and other workers who supported Canada鈥檚 military and diplomatic efforts in the country, they said.
Monsef, the first Afghan-Canadian elected to Parliament, said the chaos in Kabul had stirred up difficult memories.
She promised to work with colleagues in Canada and around the world to create space for the voices of Afghan women and girls and minorities.
鈥淭heir voices must be heard, they must shape Canada鈥檚 response and the global response,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he Taliban are the same Taliban of 20 years ago.鈥�
A legitimate government would immediately allow for the safe passage of individuals, cease violence and take part in an inclusive peace negotiation that includes women and minorities in a meaningful way, she said.
READ MORE: Second Canadian flight leaves chaotic Kabul on Friday with 106 Afghans on board
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
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