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CDU leader Armin Laschet on his election campaign tour
Photo: Bernd Wüstneck / dpa
The Taliban are back in Kabul - and many people in Afghanistan fear another reign of terror from the Islamists. Tens of thousands rush to the airport in the Afghan capital in the hope of being evacuated with machines from foreign countries, including former local soldiers of the Bundeswehr and their families. Now Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet has promised them admission to Germany - if he is elected in a good five weeks.
There are long lists of Afghan local staff and representatives of Afghan civil society who are currently not only in Kabul, but also in other places in Afghanistan, said Laschet at an election campaign appearance in Oldenburg.
"As Federal Chancellor, I will give a guarantee that everyone who is on these lists of names and who has committed themselves to Germany will be accepted in Germany."
"Get out everyone who bet on us"
After the conquest of the capital Kabul, pressure had to be exerted on the militant Islamist Taliban to allow these people to leave the country, the CDU chairman said. Germany must prepare for admission. "We have to get out everyone who has counted on us." North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister also referred to the willingness of his country to accept 1,000 women from Afghanistan.
After the withdrawal of NATO troops, the radical Islamic Taliban had conquered Afghanistan by hand.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday and the Taliban invaded Kabul.
The militia declared the war over, issued a general amnesty and announced the early formation of a new government in Kabul.
"The war is over" and "everyone" is pardoned, said Taliban spokesman Sabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday.
The new Taliban rule will be "positively" different from its previous regime.
At that time, the group followed an extremely rigid interpretation of Sharia, Islamic law.
Mujahid announced, among other things, that women are allowed to continue to work, provided that their employment is in accordance with "the principles of Islam".
For many Afghans, however, the seizure of power sparked fear, and only a few believe the promise of moderation.
People in Kabul have been trying to reach the airport since Monday, eyewitnesses report that the Taliban pushed back and beat refugees at checkpoints.
Desperate people had clung to departing planes on Monday.
mrc / dpa / AFP