2nd batch of Turkish soldiers from Afghanistan lands in Ankara

ANKARA

A second batch of Turkish troops evacuated from the Afghan capital Kabul landed home in the Turkish capital on Friday.

The plane carrying Turkish Armed Forces personnel from Afghanistan landed in Ankara at 13.10 p.m. local time (1010GMT).

The group first traveled from Kabul to Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, via a Turkish Air Force transport plane, then proceeded to Ankara on a flight run by flag carrier Turkish Airlines.

Friday’s flight follows Thursday’s first evacuation plane to arrive in Ankara from Kabul, carrying 345 armed forces personnel.

It also comes in the wake of Thursday’s terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport, which killed 110 people, Al Jazeera reported.

According to the Defense Ministry, there were no Turkish casualties from the attacks.

The attack targeted areas just outside the airport, where crowds have been gathering, seeking a way to find flights out of the country.

The Taliban, which took over the Afghan capital on Aug. 15, have set a deadline of next Tuesday, Aug. 31 for foreign forces to leave the country.

As the US is pulling out its troops controlling Kabul airport – the only place in Afghanistan still under US control – most other countries are working to finish evacuations before Tuesday.