“Both public and private, the Taliban have assured that they will allow safe departure for Americans, people from third countries and Afghans who are exposed to risk, Blinken said at a press conference on Wednesday.
The United States and 113 other countries have issued a statement in which they make it clear that the Taliban must keep these promises, according to the foreign minister. Not just for the duration of the evacuation, but for all eternity.
“We are preparing detailed plans for how we can continue to provide consular assistance and contribute to departure for those who want to leave after 31 August,” said Blinken, according to CNN.
Commercial flights
Thus, Blinken confirmed some of what the German authorities announced earlier on Wednesday. Germany’s ambassador to Afghanistan said the Taliban had assured that it would be possible to travel to Afghans with valid travel documents.
Ambassador Markus Potzel signed on Twitter that he had spoken to Taliban negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai.
Stanikzai has assured that Afghans with the necessary documents can leave the country with commercial flights after 31 August.
Earlier, the Taliban said that the evacuation of Afghans by Western countries must end on this date, in line with an agreement with the United States.
European press
The evacuation has so far been entirely dependent on American soldiers being responsible for the operation and security of the airport in Kabul.
Both Norway and other European countries have tried to pressure the United States to extend the evacuation deadline. The reason is that there is hardly enough time left to bring out everyone who wants to leave and who fears they are in danger of death in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power.
But President Joe Biden reiterated on Tuesday that he wants to bring home the last US troops scheduled for August 31.
He also stressed that it is risky to stay in Kabul and that IS may try to carry out terrorist attacks.
According to Blinken, there are still 1,500 American citizens in Afghanistan who may need evacuation. US authorities try to contact them several times a day to check if they still want to travel.
– Will continue to help
Blinken assured on Wednesday that the United States will continue to help Americans and Afghans who want to travel – even after the deadline set for the evacuation of Western countries.
– Let me be crystal clear when it comes to this: There is no deadline for our work to help remaining American citizens who decide they want to leave, said the Secretary of State.
This also applies to Afghans who have helped the United States, according to Blinken.
German Prime Minister Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that she hopes to be able to help Afghans who want to leave Afghanistan after August 31.
In the German National Assembly, Merkel said that various possibilities are being considered and that the German authorities “work intensely at all levels”. She pointed to the civilian operation of the airport in Kabul as one possibility.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also hopes that such a solution is feasible. He has said that Germany will try to fly people out of the civilian part of the airport after the turn of the month.
– Working intensely
Norway has so far evacuated 652 people from Kabul to Oslo. Among them are Norwegian citizens, people with residence permits and Afghans in need of protection.
There are still many Norwegian citizens in Afghanistan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not been able to give any guarantee that they will be able to help all Norwegians who want to return home.
– We are still working intensely to evacuate those we can, both Norwegian citizens or people with a residence permit in Norway, and Afghans in need of protection. We will continue to do so for as long as we can, but the time window can be very short, said Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide (H) to NTB on Wednesday night.
The authorities in Denmark announced on Wednesday that they have almost finished their evacuation from Kabul. According to Blinken, at least 4,500 Americans have so far been transported out of Afghanistan.
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