Plane carrying 170, including US, European citizens, departs Kabul for Doha

DUBAI: The third chartered flight bringing civilians from Afghanistan to Qatar since US forces withdrew last month took off on Friday with around 170 passengers on board, including U.S. and European citizens as well as Afghans, a Qatari official said.

The flight was due to arrive in the Qatari capital at 1630 GMT (12:30 p.m. EDT), they said.

Foreign nationals on board include those from Belgium, Britain, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy as well as the United States, the official said.

The passengers were transported to Kabul airport in a Qatari convoy after the Gulf Arab state reached a safe-passage agreement with Afghanistan's new rulers, the Taliban, the official said.

In Doha, the passengers will initially stay in a compound that is hosting Afghans and other evacuees.