Doha: Qatar TV has released a trailer for the documentary titled "Al-Waseet", which translates to “The Mediator”, highlighting Qatar's pivotal role in the evacuation operations in Afghanistan following Taliban's takeover of Kabul in 2021.
The trailer was shared on Qatar TV's social media handles with a caption, "Largest evacuation operation in contemporary history".
The documentary is scheduled to be aired on Qatar TV this Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 10 pm.
The trailer features archived footage from the evacuation operation, such as army tanks, soldiers, and civilians running through the streets.
In the video, several evacuees shared their stories. "My country suffered a lot in the last twenty years," one woman stated, while a man said, "It was a major shift and great opening."
دور دولة #قطر في أكبر عملية إجلاء في التاريخ المعاصر
— تلفزيون قطر (@QatarTelevision) August 17, 2023
تشاهدونه من خلال الفيلم الوثائقي
” الوسيط “
يوم السبت الموافق 19 أغسطس 2023
الساعة : 10:00 مساء
على شاشة #تلفزيون_قطر pic.twitter.com/TmVS0gESFl
Another evacuee added: “I still can't believe I lost my country,” and yet another man shared his disbelief, “How is it possible that everything changes in thirty minutes?, Can’t believe it!”
Speaking to Qatar TV, the Qatari ambassador in Kabul said: "According to the instructions, they must be safely delivered to the airport."
The evacuees expressed their gratitude, saying, “We will never forget that call we received from Qatar,” and described the aircraft sent to evacuate them: “It was big aircraft with Qatar Emiri Air Force written on it.”
Following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul and the withdrawal of US troops in August 2021. Qatar swiftly set up an unprecedented air bridge, considered as the longest air bridge in the history. This initiative facilitated the evacuation of both international residents and Afghans eager to exit the embattled country.
With strategic coordination with key international stakeholders and factions in Afghanistan, Qatar adeptly managed the monumental task of relocating over 40,000 individuals of different nationalities from Kabul to safety within its borders.
The majority of these evacuees temporarily resided in Qatar before transitioning to their intended destinations.
US President Joe Biden lauded the initiative, characterizing it as “the most arduous evacuation in history.”
The State of Qatar also extended humanitarian reach by deploying an air bridge to deliver substantial amounts of essential relief supplies.
Moreover, Qatar's technical teams managed to restore Kabul's international airport in less than ten days, making it suitable for receiving civilian aircraft and thereby facilitating the air bridge operations.
