In a press release, the Defense General Staff announced that the operation has started “Aquila Omnia-Bis”.
The objective of the operation is the transfer to Italy of about 500 people, including former Defense collaborators and their respective families, who are currently in countries close to Afghanistan or who are in possession of the necessary documentation to be able to leave the Asian country. Once the checks have been carried out by the Operational Command of Vertice Interforze - COVI, the Afghan personnel can be transferred to Italy with commercial carriers. All activities will be coordinated with the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Department of Civil Protection, the Italian Red Cross and with the Military Defense Attachés at the Embassies of the countries of reference.
"Last summer's evacuation of Afghan citizens from Kabul was a very complex operation, but the relentless and silent commitment of the Italian Armed Forces has continued in recent months as well. The Aquila Omnia bis operation today testifies to the result of a long team effort thanks to the strong collaboration between the Ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Interior and the information services ”. Thus the Minister of Defense Lorenzo Guerini on the operation in progress.
In recent days, the first seven Afghan citizens of this second humanitarian airlift arrived in Italy, including a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy who, transferred to the "Grassi" hospital in Ostia immediately after landing in Rome Fiumicino, gave birth to a girl. At the end of the period of isolation / quarantine in special accommodation facilities, the seven guests will be included in the “Reception and Integration System” (SAI) program of the Ministry of the Interior.
Other arrivals are expected in the coming days and will be monitored by the Defense.
At present it is estimated that in the countries contiguous to Afghanistan (including Pakistan, Iran and Turkey) there are about 40 Afghans (almost 200, also considering the accompanying family members), who appear to have collaborated, in various capacities, with the Italian defense.
Contacts are also underway with former collaborators included in the so-called H2 and H3 lists of the Defense, for which the vetting (in-depth check on the position of the assessed by cross-referencing the data held by the various intelligence and interior ministries) but that it was not possible to evacuate from Kabul during the previous “Aquila Omnia” Operation. These are men, women and children for whom the definition of how to carry out their transfer to Italy is underway.