Most of the roughly 1,100 South Koreans who have entered Afghanistan to participate in a Christian rally will evacuate by Sunday following concerns of terror attacks, government officials said.
Some 400 Koreans will leave Afghanistan during the day after 700 others departed Saturday, officials of the Foreign Ministry said. Some will return home by air via Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, or Urumqi of China, and others will take a land route that passes through Uzbekistan, they said.
Dozens of Koreans will have to remain in the war-torn country to receive treatment for their symptoms of dehydration and diarrhea, they said.
The Koreans were in Afghanistan to participate in the "2006 Afghan Peace Festival" set for Saturday through Monday in Kabul, organized by a South Korean Protestant network, the Institute of Asian Culture and Development.
The organizer called off the festival Thursday amid opposition and warnings from both the Korean and Afghan governments. The Afghan government issued an official request for the cancellation because of security reasons.
Seoul, Aug. 6 (Yonhap News)
Most Koreans to evacuate from Afghanistan amid security concerns |
