Twenty-two Tajik nationals were evacuated from Afghanistan by a special flight of the Russian Ministry of Defense on August 25, a source within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan told Asia-Plus in an interview.

“More than 30 Tajik nationals have applied to our Embassy in Kabul and 22 of them were returned home by a special flight of the Russian Ministry of Defense yesterday.  Other nationals of Tajikistan will be returned home after preparation of documents,” the source told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon. 

The Tajik Embassy in Kabul is reportedly operating normally and is in constant contact with citizens of Tajikistan staying in Afghanistan. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said that four Russian military planes evacuated Russian and other nationals from Kabul on Wednesday on the orders of President Vladimir Putin.

More than 500 Russians and citizens of several ex-Soviet states were evacuated from Afghanistan on August 25.  Moscow said it sent four military transport planes to fly out more than 500 citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, some media reports say the Russian government also plans to request the Taliban regime in Kabul to allow flights in September for Afghan students who wish to study in Russia.