Canada suspends operations at embassy in Kabul as Taliban breach Afghan capital

Canada suspended diplomatic operations in Afghanistan and shut down its embassy in Kabul, federal ministers announced Sunday, as the Taliban advanced on the capital and residents and foreigners rushed to leave.

The federal government said the current situation in Afghanistan poses "serious challenges" to its ability to ensure safety and security at the embassy.

"After consulting with Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan, the decision was made to temporarily suspend our diplomatic operations in Kabul," the federal ministers of foreign affairs, immigration and defence said in a joint statement.

The ministers said safety of Canadian personnel is a top priority, adding that staff are "safely on their way back to Canada."

"The Canadian embassy will resume its operations as soon as the security situation in Afghanistan allows us to guarantee appropriate service and adequate security for our staff," they said.

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The Taliban have seized nearly all of Afghanistan in just over a week and breached the capital on Sunday, seeking the surrender of the government.

Officials told The Associated Press on Sunday that President Ashraf Ghani had flown out of the country. Personnel were also being evacuated from the U.S. Embassy and other Western missions on Sunday, as staff destroyed sensitive documents.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the violence on Sunday and said Canada remains committed to the Afghan people and to the country.

"We are heartbroken at the situation the Afghan people find themselves in today," Trudeau said from Ottawa.

"This is especially so given the sacrifices of Canadians who believed and continue to believe in the future of Afghanistan. We will continue to work with allies and the international community to ensure that those efforts were not in vain."

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Canada has committed to taking in 20,000 refugees from the country who have already fled.

It also has said it is working to evacuate Afghans who have assisted Canada over the years. On Sunday, the government said it was working with allies such as the U.S. to keep that immigration program for interpreters going.

"We are urgently bringing more Afghans to safety in Canada and will continue to support them through this crisis," the federal ministers said in their joint statement.

The government is urging Canadians currently in the country to leave immediately.

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