WEB DESK
Germany has stopped development aid for Afghanistan for now, the minister responsible said on Tuesday, after the Taliban swept back into power.
State cooperation on development is suspended for the time being, Development Minister Gerd Mueller said in an interview with a local newspaper.
The difficult situation on the ground has created obstacles for an evacuation mission being led by German forces in Kabul.
Officials admitted on Tuesday that a German military plane left Kabul carrying just seven evacuees while hundreds waited on the ground because allies responsible for security at the airport could not secure their access to the transport.
The German government had agreed to send 430 million euros ($506 million) to Afghanistan a year, making it one of the biggest donors to the country.
This money was intended to support the training of local police forces and strengthen the justice system, as well as furthering the rights of women and fighting corruption.
Speaking last week, German foreign minister Heiko Maas said the country was not “viable” without the support of international aid.