The Afghan Paralympians trapped in Kabul by the Taliban uprising have now been evacuated to a secret location

• Two Afghan Paralympians have been evacuated to a secret location following the Taliban uprising.
• The International Paralympic Committee said athletes Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli were safe.
• The pair were meant to fly to Tokyo to compete, but were unable to do so following the fall of Kabul.
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Two Afghan Paralympic athletes who were trapped in the country following the Taliban uprising have been evacuated to safety.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said para-taekwondo athletes Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli were now safe in a secret location having become trapped in Kabul.

They are still, however, expected to miss the games, which started in Tokyo on Tuesday.

"Efforts have been made to remove them from Afghanistan, they are now in a safe place," the IPC's spokesman Craig Spence said.

"I'm not going to tell you where they are because this isn't about sport, this is about human life and keeping people safe.

"Obviously they've been through a very traumatic process, they're undergoing counselling and psychological help.

"We are being kept in the loop about their whereabouts and their well-being," Spence continued, as reported by the BBC.

Khudadadi was due to be her country's first ever female Paralympian but saw her dreams dashed following the Taliban's rise to power.

Last week, she made a desperate plea for help in making it to Tokyo but has been unable to make it to the games.

"I urge you all, from the women around the globe, institutions for the protection of women, from all government organizations, to not let the rights of a female citizen of Afghanistan in the Paralympic movement be taken away so easily," she told Reuters in Farsi via a translator.

Despite no Afghan athletes taking part, the country's flag was on display during the opening ceremony and it was carried by a volunteer.