Canada could have just 24-48 hours to get planes in and out of Kabul says source

Canada could have just 24 to 48 hours to get planes in and out of Kabul as part of the Afghanistan evacuation effort, according to a government source.

The source â€" who has knowledge of the mission but wasn't authorized to speak publicly â€" said only a limited number of flights remain for Canada's military and they're running against the clock.

With the Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan coming up fast, Canadian Forces have to start winding down the evacuation, said the source.

During a media briefing this morning, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan would not comment on how much time is left. He said things are moving quickly on the ground.

"The situation is changing literally by the hour. I'll be getting a detailed briefing shortly on the withdrawal plan but one thing I can assure you, we will continue to bring out as many Afghans as possible," he told reporters.

WATCH: Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan offers update on situation in Kabul

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan provides update on evacuation mission in Afghanistan1 hour agoSajjan says Canadian Armed Forces working hard to get as many Afghans to safety as possible. 1:53

Allies are up against similar deadlines. U.K. Defence Minister Ben Wallace said the evacuation effort is "down to hours now, not weeks."

Tens of thousands of Afghans fearing persecution under the Taliban, which swept to power in recent days, have rushed to Kabul's airport hoping to escape the country.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said that as of Aug. 24, Canada had airlifted more than 2,700 people out of Kabul, including Afghan refugees, Canadian citizens, permanent residents and other foreign nationals.

Canada has struck an air-bridge agreement with other countries that allows people bound for Canada to catch rides out of Kabul on allied aircraft while Canada steps up in the same fashion.

In Kabul, our <a href="https://twitter.com/CanadianForces?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CanadianForces</a> are saving lives. <br><br>Yesterday, a <a href="https://twitter.com/RCAF_ARC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCAF_ARC</a> flight evacuated 506 people from Afghanistan â€" many of whom are now on their way to their new home in Canada. I know that Canadians will welcome them as we always do.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeToCanada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeToCanada</a> 🇨🇦 <a href="https://t.co/rA38Chn3In">pic.twitter.com/rA38Chn3In</a>

&mdash;@HarjitSajjan

Mendicino said today that close to 1,000 Afghans have arrived in Canada and over 300 have now finished quarantine.

"We are now going to be moving into the next phase of this operation, which is to provide support to Afghans after the coalition withdraws," he said.

WATCH | Singh says 'it looks like Canada has failed' its Afghan allies

Singh says 'it looks like Canada has failed' its Afghan allies2 hours agoNDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Canada needs to do everything it can to get its allies out of Afghanistan. 1:32

Earlier this week, the government said Canada's special forces are working outside the security zone of the Kabul airport to identify and bring Canadian citizens and eligible Afghan nationals and their families through the security gates to waiting aircraft.

But many advocacy groups and families on the ground have reported problems with reaching officials.

Just yesterday, following a virtual G7 meeting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will remain in Afghanistan beyond the Aug. 31 date to help evacuate more Canadians and eligible Afghans â€" as long as the security situation permits.

"I emphasized that Canada is ready to stay beyond the 31st deadline, if it's at all possible, because we want to save as many people as possible and Canadians are ready to work to try and do that," he said.

A PMO spokesperson later clarified that the prospect of Canadian Forces' remaining in Kabul beyond the end of the month depends on the extension of the U.S. military presence, and that Canada would not remain in Afghanistan after the U.S. pulled out its troops.

Direct appeal to Taliban

As the Taliban were taking Kabul on Aug. 15, Trudeau dismissed the notion that Canada would recognize them as a legitimate government. This week, he seemed to be shifting that position. 

"The international community has a few very clear expectations and demands of the Taliban if they want to be even engaged with constructively and positively, whether it's financially, whether it's in terms of food security, whether it's plenty of things that are needed in order to set up a functional society that they have just taken by violence," he said.

Today, Maryam Monsef, the minister for women and gender equality, made a direct appeal to the Taliban to allow Canada to evacuate people safely.

"I want to take this opportunity to speak to our brothers the Taliban. We call on you to ensure the safe and secure passage of any individual in Afghanistan out of the country," she said.

After fielding more questions, she said her use of the word "brothers" was a cultural reference.

"Muslims refer to one another as brother and sisters," said Monsef, who fled the Taliban with her widowed mother and two younger sisters in the 1990s.

"But let me be very clear, we do not support the Taliban, we are horrified that the hard won gains of the past 20 years are at stake like this and being eroded like this."

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said the "language used by the Trudeau government is completely unacceptable."

"I would never abandon people as Mr. Trudeau has," he said in Brampton, Ont. today. "We had months to act when it would have been much less of a risk to operate."

When asked what he would have done differently, the Conservative leader said he would work with the Canadian Armed Forces and allies.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Canada should not recognize the Taliban.

"When it comes to our relationship with Taliban, I am very firm on this is a terrorist organization that we should not be dealing with," he said during a campaign stop in Windsor, Ont.

"We should not be recognizing but we need to do everything we can to secure the release of our allies."

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