This Thursday, the Afghans and foreigners struggled to cross the Taliban checkpoints and crowds at streets to reach the airport in Kabul. This happened just a day after President Biden announced “American troops would stay as long as needed to evacuate people.”
The operations from inside the airport have significantly improved against the chaos that followed the Taliban’s forge into Kabul on Sunday, Western officials averred. However, the mass that is struggling to come over to the airport to evacuate themselves to safer places, were handled by the U.S. military personnel. Thousands of Afghans entered into a chaotic situation and surrounded the airport, pushing each other in desperation to get in. Some did not possess the required documents to board a flight but still blocked entry gates.
Janan, a stranded 37-year-old Afghan from the eastern province of Paktia, said by phone that “Maybe I only have a 1% chance of getting on a plane but I’m trying,” he said. “The Taliban will kill us. They are only behaving a bit so far because the Americans are here.”
Several others including Westerners and Afghans for whom the U.S. allies are aiming to evacuate to safer regions also the ones who are hiding in their homes to protect themselves from the Taliban terror.
President Biden said Wednesday that the U.S. is committed to evacuating Americans from Afghanistan, adding that troops could remain in Kabul past the Aug. 31 exit deadline if necessary.
The Taliban, who are outside the airport perimeter, are firing in the air, beating people to keep the crowd under control and urging them to go home. In a security alert for American citizens on Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy averred stating that it couldn’t maintain a safe passage to the airport.
The Taliban asserted that “they want to end the pandemonium at the airport as soon as possible, with the televised sight of Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover undermining their efforts to portray their regime as more tolerant than when the group was last in power.”
Due to thousands of American soldiers left in Afghanistan, it is difficult for the group to declare it has accomplished its goal of an Islamic administration.
The Taliban published a statement Thursday stating “At the same time, we have defeated another arrogant superpower in the world, the U.S., with our jihadist resistance. They were forced to retreat from the sacred territory of Afghanistan,” the group said.
Locals in Khost said the Taliban had feared that Independence Day would be marked by more flag-waving protests in Khost.
U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told British broadcaster network Sky News that the Taliban were cooperating in allowing British nationals to be evacuated. He also said the U.K. is “not sending out any empty planes.”
Mr Biden, in an interview with ABC News this Wednesday, added that he was committed to getting Americans in the country out and expressed optimism that it could be done by the deadline. Pressed on what he would do if Americans were remaining after Aug. 31, he said, “If there are American citizens left, we’re gonna stay till we get them all out.”
The White House asserted on Tuesday the Taliban had agreed to provide for the safe passage of civilians to the airport. But the continuing frustration voiced Wednesday by Afghans over their treatment by the Taliban prompted new concerns in Washington.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls mentioned in a notice to defence contractors this Wednesday that “it is reviewing all pending and issued export licenses and other approvals to determine their suitability in furthering world peace, national security, and the foreign policy of the United States.”