The Taliban have described the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan as a “red line” and warned of the consequences if American boots remain on the ground beyond August 31.
US, British and Turkish forces assist in evacuating Kabul airport on Friday | Image credit: AP
HIGHLIGHTS
- The answer is no, if the US or the UK are looking for extra time to evacuate: Taliban
- US troops have been in control of Kabul airport since the Taliban took over Afghanistan
- The UK Prime Minister is expected to ask Biden to extend the deadline during the G7 meeting scheduled for Tuesday
There will be “consequences” if the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is extended beyond August 31, the Taliban said. This warning from the Taliban seems timely as the G7 leaders meet on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Kabul.
A Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said the August 31 deadline for US troops to withdraw is a “red line.”
“If the US or UK is looking for extra time to evacuate, the answer is no.” Suhail Shaheen told Sky News. There will be “consequences” if the withdrawal period is extended.
READ: Taliban district chief, 50 insurgents killed in the fight against the Afghan resistance
Foreign countries, particularly the US and UK, are working hard to evacuate thousands of their own citizens as well as Afghan partners before the August 31 deadline.
In addition, thousands of Afghans really want to flee the country also rush to the airport of Kabul. The resulting chaos has resulted in nearly 20 deaths.
American security forces have been controlling the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul since the Taliban took control of the country on August 15.
US soldiers stand guard for crowd control at Kabul airport on August 16, 2021 | Credits: AP
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has even allowed domestic airlines and civilian pilots to fly to Kabul for evacuation operations to get as many people as possible out of Kabul, with prior approval from the Department of Defense.
READ: Who should come to Kabul airport? US Embassy offers 4 point guideline
In an interview with ABC News last week, US President Joe Biden had said the deadline for US troops withdrawal could be extended to August 31 if evacuations are not completed by that time.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is now reportedly expected to urge Biden during Tuesday’s G7 meeting to keep American troops grounded beyond the August 31 deadline.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly confirmed on BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour on Sunday that Britain had already asked the US to stay longer in Afghanistan.
The UK Defense Department said Sunday that the country’s armed forces had evacuated nearly 4,000 people from Afghanistan since August 13.
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