OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the speed at which the Taliban took control of Afghanistan was a surprise to him and other world leaders.
He says Canada remains committed to getting Canadians still trapped there out of the country and following through on a pledge to resettle thousands of Afghan refugees.
Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan ended Thursday, leaving an unknown number of Canadians and their families trapped.
The Canadian withdrawal was followed by an attack on Kabul airport that killed 13 American troops, deaths that President Joe Biden is vowing to avenge.
Trudeau says Canada and its allies did everything they could to get as many people out of Afghanistan in recent weeks on a massive military airlift from an airport that was secured by the Americans.
The Taliban stormed across the country and regained power in Afghanistan earlier this month, as the country’s military, trained by Canada and its allies, collapsed.
“I think politicians and leaders around the world, I think Afghans themselves, were surprised at just how fast the Taliban were able to take over in Afghanistan,” Trudeau said Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2021.
The Canadian Press
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The Canadian Press
