Sharjah24 - Reuters: Germany on Sunday shuttered its embassy in Kabul and sped up preparations to evacuate its citizens and local helpers on Sunday as Taliban insurgents entered the Afghan capital.
"The security situation has deteriorated drastically. The German embassy Kabul is closed as of Aug. 15," the foreign office in Berlin said on its website.
According to diplomats, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas decided to move the embassy staff to the military part of Kabul airport where they are supposed to resume working.
At the same time, authorities in Berlin were speeding up efforts to evacuate German citizens as well as Afghans who used to work for the German military or other institutions.
Taliban insurgents entered Kabul on Sunday and said they expected to take power within days.
Maas convened the government's crisis team to launch emergency measures to secure the departure of German staff and other people at risk, according to a diplomatic source.
A defence ministry spokesman did not confirm a report by tabloid Bild that two military planes were ordered to leave for Kabul later on Sunday.
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