BRUSSELS, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- European countries are continuing their evacuation efforts on Tuesday to help nationals out of Afghanistan, after the Taliban entered the capital and seized most part of the country.

The Belgian government has authorized the launch of an evacuation operation, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense issued on Tuesday.

The first aircraft, a Falcon 7-X, took off Tuesday afternoon from Melsbroek to Islamabad in Pakistan, which is to be followed by an A400M and two C-130 aircraft, according to Minister of Defense Ludivine Dedonder.

Romania has sent a plane to Afghanistan on Tuesday to evacuate citizens from the country, said the Ministry of National Defence.

Romania's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that 27 Romanian citizens were still in Afghanistan, after 16 managed to leave the previous night.

Romania first sent military to Afghanistan in 2002, and since then 27 of its soldiers have lost their lives in combat, while about 200 have been injured.

The Spanish air force has also sent two military transport planes to help with the evacuation of Spanish nationals and Afghans who have worked with the Spanish in past years.

Spain's central government and many of the regional governments have said they are willing to welcome refugees from Afghanistan.

Spain's International Protection system was "already prepared to give a dignified welcome to all the people who arrive from Afghanistan with their families," Spain's Minister for Social Security, Inclusion and Migration, Jose Luis Escriva said on Monday. Enditem