PARIS, Aug 16 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday France was currently protecting the European Union delegate in Afghanistan and that it had also given protection to the Afghan collaborators of the EU representation in the country "A lot of members of the Afghan civil society, defenders of rights, artists, journalists are today under threat (...) We will welcome them because it"s France"s honor to be alongside those who fight for freedom" Macron said in a televised address to the nation. The Taliban entered Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan on Sunday as the Islamist militants took over the country 20 years after they were ousted by a U.S.-led invasion. read more Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Richard Lough Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.