German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer announced Friday that the German army will participate in the evacuation of the German embassy in Kabul and the evacuation of its staff.

As the Taliban insurgents continue to advance towards the Afghan capital, Kramp-Karrenbauer announced in a statement that Germany is "to mobilize its first soldiers as quickly as possible."

"The security situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate," she said, adding that her army would support the Foreign Ministry in repatriating German nationals and evacuating Afghan staff "who need Germany's protection."

Kramp-Karrenbauer did not want to give more details, saying only that "the transfer of those in need of protection to Germany is today the absolute priority."

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had announced Friday that his country would "reduce to a minimum" its diplomatic staff in Kabul, and that the evacuation would take place "in the coming days."

According to the ministry, dozens of employees are still at the embassy.

With the Taliban in control of Afghanistan's second and third largest city, Kabul became the last stronghold of government forces whose response to the insurgents in the rest of the country ranged between non-existent and weak.

As part of a mission to evacuate American nationals, the first US Marines arrived Friday at Kabul airport, amid efforts to evacuate about 4,200 people from the US embassy in the Afghan capital, where thousands of Afghans, including translators and others who helped US forces during the 20-year invasion, seek to leave country for fear of Taliban retaliation.

Other NATO countries, including the United Kingdom, Denmark and Spain, announced on Friday that they had begun the process of evacuating their embassy staff.