There are still about 1,500 people in Afghanistan who may be Americans. So said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The RAF has not yet moved nearly 2,000 Afghan translators and other staff who have worked in the UK from Kabul. However, the evacuation mission is nearing completion.
According to Blinken, the US has evacuated at least 4,500 US citizens since August 14. “In the past 24 hours, we have been in direct contact with about 500 additional Americans. We have given them specific instructions on how to get to the airport safely.”
In addition, Washington contacts about 1,000 other people who “may be Americans” through various communication channels. Some of them may have already left the country, some may not be Americans, and some may choose to stay, Blinken noted.
“There is no deadline”
The minister also said there was “no deadline” for helping Americans and Afghans leave the country. “This effort will continue every day after August 31,” he said. By that day, the United States wants to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan.
He noted that the Taliban had made public and private promises to allow Americans and Afghans at risk for safe mass exodus. “People who want to leave Afghanistan after the US military leaves should be able to do so,” Blinken said.
Consultation with the Taliban
In all, more than 88,000 people have already been removed from Kabul. According to the Pentagon, 10,000 people are still waiting at the airport to be evacuated. However, the last days will mainly be used to remove our soldiers and equipment. “We will continue to evacuate people if necessary,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
The British have already evacuated more than 10,000 people from Afghanistan. Together with the Germans, among others, they are checking whether the airport can be maintained after the Americans leave. This is also under discussion with the Taliban.
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