The latest flight touched down at Rome’s Fiumicino airport early on Sunday morning, carrying 211 Afghan passengers.

It came after 297 people were airlifted from Kabul to Rome on Friday.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Sunday said 1600 Afghans had been airlifted to Italy over the last week, since Prime Minister Mario Draghi pledged that all Afghans who had assisted Italy’s mission in Kabul would be protected.

The operation involves eight military aircraft, flying between Italy and Kabul, via Kuwait.

The Italian Air Force wrote on Twitter: “We are helping saving human lives and putting a smile on the faces of evacuated children.”

In recent days the mayors of Rome, Milan and Florence have declared their willingness to help house refugees the Afghan refugees arriving on the flights.