Emotional moment Australian foreign minister breaks down as she reveals the first Afghan refugee to head Down Under – as tiny children are seen boarding a flight bound for freedom

• Marise Payne battled to hold her emotions together as she updated the Senate 
• She had to choke back tears as she described the Australian rescue mission
• The first evacuee was an Afghan boy who ‘skipped down the ramp of the plane’
• Senator Payne had to stop several times to compose herself before continuing 

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has choked back tears in Parliament as she revealed a young Afghan boy was the first to be rescued by Australia from the chaos of Kabul.

Her voice cracked as she described how he ‘skipped down the ramp’ off the military plane which had saved him, spiriting him out of Kabul to the safety of Dubai.

The usually-composed minister even had to stop mid-speech to compose herself as she struggled to contain her emotions describing the terrible conditions currently in Afghanistan.

The Australian Defence Force last week launched its mission to pull out expats and Afghan allies from Afghanistan after the country fell back into the grip of the Taliban.

Foreign minister Marise Payne has choked back tears in Parliament as she revealed a young Afghan boy was the first to be rescued by Australia from the chaos of Kabul (pictured, an ADF-supplied image of some of those rescued by Australian forces from Afghanistan)

But as Ms Payne revealed details of the rescue mission in the Senate on Monday, she was overcome with emotion, fighting back tears and often barely able to speak.

‘I’m told the first person literally off the first Australian plane from Kabul a few days ago, was a little Afghani boy, and that he skipped down the ramp when it was lowered,’ she told senators.

But as Ms Payne spoke more, the emotion became more intense until there were moments when she had to stop mid-sentence to compose herself before continuing.

‘I know the desperation and fear that is all pervasive right now,’ she said before pausing as she fought to get the words out.

‘I know it is difficult beyond our imaginings, for so many brave and proud people in Afghanistan right now.’

Marise Payne (pictured) had to stop mid-speech to compose herself as she struggled to contain her emotions as she described the terrible conditions currently in Afghanistan

Her voice cracked as she described how a little Afghan boy ‘skipped down the ramp’ off the military plane which had saved him, spiriting him out of Kabul to the safety of Dubai (pictured, an ADF-supplied image from inside one of the Australian rescue flights out of Kabul)

Ms Payne had to swallow hard to keep the tears at bay as she battled to finish her speech.

Her voice quivered with intensity over every syllable, her breath laboured as she tried and failed to stay detached from the moment and her own words.

‘And for many here who grieve for the country and the people they love, perhaps is their birthplace or perhaps for other connections. It is very difficult right now,’ she said.

‘Australia and our partners, all have an enduring commitment to the people of Afghanistan that will not change.’

As Ms Payne spoke more, the emotion became more intense until there were moments when she to stop mid-sentence, as seen here, to compose herself before continuing

Afghan children were among those rescued by Australian forces (pictured, one of the evacuees out of Afghanistan on an Australian rescue flight in an ADF-supplied image)

The rescue mission has so far brought more than 1,000 Australians and Afghan visa holders on flights out of the embattled country, initially to Dubai before continuing on to Australia.

Ms Payne’s emotional outburst came as Australian leaders of all parties paid tribute to the work of the 40,000 ADF personnel and civilians who served in the country over the last 20 years and honoured the 41 Australian servicemen killed there. 

She said the military presence there had helped avoid any repeat of 9/11 and stopped Al-Qaeda setting up a terrorist base in the nation.

‘Through our collective efforts as part of a coalition of nations, we hoped to protect the world from repeats of those atrocities,’ she said.

‘The disappointment and pain felt by so many that the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan after these 20 difficult years is absolutely understandable.’

The rescue mission has so far brought more than 1000 Australians and Afghan visa holders on flights out of the strife-torn country, initially to Dubai before continuing on to Australia (pictured, a young evacuee on the Australian rescue flights, seen in an ADF-supplied image)

Marise Payne and Prime Minister Scott Morrison admitted the biggest problem was getting evacuees into Kabul’s Hamzal Karzai Airport for the mercy flights to Australia. (PIctured, evacuees boarding an Australian flight our of Kabul in an ADF-supplied image)

But she admitted: ‘There is no immediate answer or or evaluation that will change this disappointment.’

The scene on the ground in Kabul is said to becoming ever more chaotic and dangerous with every passing moment.

Ms Payne and Prime Minister Scott Morrison admitted the biggest problem was getting evacuees into Kabul’s Hamzal Karzai Airport for the mercy flights to Australia.

The Prime Minister has already ruled out flying in Australian troops to secure a route to the airport, and personnel on the ground have been relying on the US for military help.

Ms Payne added: ‘We will continue this mission as long as we are able.

‘Conditions near the airport in Kabul are very dangerous and changing rapidly.’

Hundreds of Afghans desperately trying to flee the Taliban are pictured outside Kabul airport

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