A group of Fijians stranded in Afghanistan have been evacuated to nearby Kazakhstan.
Photo: AFP
Hundreds including foreigners and locals have fled with thousands more trying to get out as the Taliban seize control of the country.
The Fiji Government said three of its citizens worked as security personnel in the Afghan capital Kabul.
The Foreign Affairs Secretary Yogesh Karan said the remaining 10 Fijians are United Nations staff with the International Labour and the World Health organisations.
Karan said the various international agencies would have their own evacuation plans for their foreign staff.
"Most of our nationals are working for international organisations except three that are privately hired," he said.
Ppeople forming a line to board the Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Photo: SGT Glen McCarthy / Australian Defence Force / AFP
"It now becomes the equal responsibility of these international institutions to ensure that our citizens are safe.
"We are making every effort with them on the whereabouts of their staff and how we can get them as quickly as possible out of there."
An official from Fiji's embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, said they are working closely with their international partners to get their citizens safely out of Afghanistan.
One of three Fijians airlifted to Kazakhstan did not want to be identified, but said the situation in Afghanistan was "very volatile".
He said Taliban soldiers were killing Afghan nationals who had formerly worked or had any relations with the United States.
He said eight of the 13 Fijians who worked in Kabul had been evacuated while five security personnel who were employed by the UN were waiting to leave.
Photo: AFP / US Air Force
"The five Fijians are part of the other UN workers and representatives who have been kept in a safe camp within the city," he said.
Taliban forces took over Kabul after the US withdrew its troops last week.
Meanwhile, 94 Fijian soldiers have arrived in Iraq for peacekeeping duties under the United Nations Assistance Mission.
The mission is assisted by the Australian Air Force.
The Fijians underwent deployment training in Lautoka for six weeks.
They will be based in the Iraqi capital Baghdad for one year.
