Kabul Evacuees Touch Down in UAE on Way to New Life in UK

Kabul Evacuees Touch Down in UAE on Way to New Life in UK

Dozens of evacuees from Afghanistan waited nervously to board a Britain-bound Royal Air Force plane during a stopover in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday after fleeing the Taliban takeover.

At Dubai's Al-Maktoum airport, a steady stream of aircraft ferrying passengers from Kabul and onwards to Britain shuttled back and forth as London stepped up its evacuation efforts.

Dozens of exhausted passengers waited at one of the departure gates during a stopover ahead of the second leg of what they hoped would be their journey to safety.

"They were eager to leave the plane and get some rest," said one airport employee.

Three children wearing traditional Afghan dress ran in circles around a woman dressed in black, and a masked man holding a toddler flashed a victory sign.

One boy holding two red and black backpacks jiggled his leg nervously during the wait for the plane that would carry him to Britain to arrive.

British embassy staff and airport employees in bright yellow vests stood at the gate giving instructions to the waiting group.

"We have processed over 1,600 eligible (individuals) through the UAE en route to the UK," said an embassy spokesman.

Five fights were due to leave the UAE for Britain taking passengers from three flights