Afghanistan crisis: Female Afghan athletes suffer beatings, avoid gunfire to leave country on evacuation flight

About 1,000 people have been evacuated on Australian flights and the ABC reported that among them were about 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents, after their plight had drawn the support of several prominent former sporting figures.

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday. Australia has for more than a week been evacuating its citizens and some of its former staff from its embassy after the Taliban seized control of the capital, Kabul, on Aug. 15. About 1,000 people have been evacuated on Australian flights and the ABC reported that among them were about 50 female athletes and their dependents, after their plight had drawn the support of several prominent former sporting figures.