Ugandans among thousands still stuck in Afghanistan

Government has admitted that Ugandans are among the thousands of people who are still stuck in Afghanistan after the Talibans captured power.

Uncertainty grew in Afghanistan after the Taliban Islamic group captured power they had lost 20 years ago after US troops overthrew the then government lead by Mullah Omar that was accused of hosting Al Quaeda terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden.

This prompted many people to start fleeing the country.

On Wednesday, Uganda received the first batch of Afghan refugees to be hosted in the country temporarily but according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ugandans are among those still stuck in Afghanistan.

“Whereas it had been arranged for some Ugandans to travel on the above flight ( that brought 51 Afghan refugees), due to the challenges of accessing the airport in Kabul, they were unable to make it,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

However, according to government, arrangements are being made to ensure the Ugandans still stuck in Afghanistan are returned home in the subsequent flight to Entebbe.

It is however not clear as to how many Ugandans are still stuck in Afghanistan .

The development comes on the backdrop of a warning by the new Taliban government that it won’t extend the August, 31 deadly for allowing the US withdraw its troops.

The Taliban government spokesperson, Zabiullah Mujahid said they have started blocking roads to stop Afghans from fleeing the country.

"The road, which goes to the airport, is blocked. Afghans cannot take that road to go to the airport, but foreign nationals are allowed to take that road to the airport," Mujahid said.

"We are not allowing the evacuation of Afghans anymore and we are not happy with it either. The doctors and academics of Afghanistan should not leave this country; they should work in their own specialist areas. They should not go to other countries, to those Western countries,”Mujahid said.

However, the development might also affect Ugandans still stranded in Afghanistan since many of them hoped to use the opportunity of the US evacuating Afghans to return home.

It remains to be seen what steps the Ugandan government will take to ensure its citizens are returned home safely.