August 26, 2021
2 mins read

US govt to ensure Americans can leave Afghanistan beyond Aug 31: Blinken

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Blinken said that there was no deadline on the work to help Americans and those Afghan partners who remained in the country to leave….reports Asian Lite News

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington would work to ensure Americans and Afghan partners could leave Afghanistan beyond the planned August 31 deadline for the ongoing evacuation from Kabul.

President Joe Biden confirmed on Tuesday that his administration aimed to complete the evacuation by August 31, while asking for contingency plans to adjust the timeline if necessary, reports Xinhua news agency.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Blinken said that there was no deadline on the work to help Americans and those Afghan partners who remained in the country to leave.

“That effort will continue every day past August 31,” he said.

“We will use every diplomatic, economic assistance tool at our disposal, working hand-in-hand with the international community, first and foremost to ensure that those who want to leave Afghanistan after the 31st are able to do so,” Blinken said when asked about steps to take to assure “high-risk Afghans” would not be left behind after the US military withdrawal.

The Secretary of State noted that the Taliban had made “public and private commitments to provide and permit safe passage for Americans, for third-country nationals, and Afghans at risk going forward past August 31”.

However, the latest statement from the Taliban showed they might be unwilling to cooperate with Washington on this issue.

“We are not in favour of Afghans to leave, we are not happy with departure of Afghans,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Tuesday.

“The crowds have not been cleared outside the airport. We want the Americans to bring changes in their policy of encouraging Afghans to leave.”

The US has been scrambling to evacuate Americans and its Afghan partners from the country since the Taliban captured the capital Kabul on August 15.

Blinken said during Wednesday’s briefing that at least 4,500 US citizens had been evacuated since August 14, with approximately 1,500 Americans remain in the country.

According to Blinken, about 500 have been contacted with instructions on how to reach the airport, and not all of the rest 1,000 Americans are seeking to leave Afghanistan.

He said some of them might already leave the country, some may want to stay, and some may not actually be US citizens.

Blinken said that around 19,000 people had been evacuated during the 24-hour period ending early Wednesday morning.

In total, over 82,300 people had been flown out of Kabul since August 14.

ALSO READ: US govt urged to bring Ghani to justice over embezzlement allegation

Previous Story

Afghan girl, born on US military plane named ‘Reach’

Next Story

US govt to work with Big Tech on new cybersecurity guidelines

Latest from -Top News

Pakistan reverses support for Trump’s Gaza peace plan

Pakistan retracts support for Trump’s Gaza peace plan, citing differences with Muslim nations’ draft; move reflects domestic sensitivities and regional alignment amid ongoing Middle East conflict diplomacy. In a surprising shift, Pakistan’s

Hamas agrees to release all hostages

Hamas agrees to release all Israeli hostages under Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, backed by global powers and the UN, paving the way for regional stability. Hamas has formally agreed to release

Qatar now under US shield

Trump offers Qatar an unprecedented security guarantee, pledging US military protection amid Israeli strike and Gaza peace negotiations, reinforcing Qatar’s role in regional diplomacy. In an extraordinary move, the United States has

UAE condemns Manchester attack

UAE condemns Manchester synagogue attack; UK deploys extra police, PM Starmer vows protection for Jewish communities while emergency services respond to a shocking Yom Kippur tragedy. The United Arab Emirates has strongly
Go toTop

Don't Miss

‘Garcetti will lead effort to deepen US-India ties’

The move underscores the importance of the US-India relationship, which

Trump fumes over McCarthy’s handling of Jan. 6 panel

Trump, in an apparent knee-jerk reaction, has made it clear