Foreign nationals, Afghan citizens with travel authorisation can travel outside Afghanistan: Blinken

Washington DC [US], August 30 (ANI): All foreign nationals and Afghan citizens with travel authorisation from around 100 countries including the United States will be allowed to travel outside Afghanistan, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday (local time).

In a tweet, Blinken also assured that America will hold the Taliban to that commitment.

“Today, nearly 100 countries issued a joint statement on the assurances by the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorization from our countries will be allowed to safely travel outside Afghanistan. We will hold the Taliban to that commitment,” he said.

According to the US Dept of State statement, the United States and nearly 100 other countries in a joint statement on Afghanistan Evacuation Travel Assurances by the Taliban stated that all foreign nationals, Afghans with travel authorization from the said countries will be allowed to safely travel outside the war-ravaged country.

“We are all committed to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us and those who are at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan. We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorization from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country.

We will continue issuing travel documentation to designated Afghans, and we have a clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that they can travel to our respective countries. We note the public statements of the Taliban confirming this understanding, the joint statement read.

Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 114,400 people. Since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 120,000 people.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday had said that the US will be engaging with the Taliban to ensure the safe evacuation of people from Afghanistan following the August 31 deadline for withdrawal.

“The President directed the Secretary of State to continue diplomatic efforts with international partners to secure means for third-country nationals and Afghans with visas to leave the country even after the US military presence ends,” Psaki had said during a press briefing.

Afghanistan’s situation is deteriorating as people rush to leave the nation after the Taliban seized control over a week ago. On August 15, the Afghan government fell soon after President Ashraf Ghani left the nation.

Countries have been evacuating their citizens from the war-torn nation speedily. The Kabul airport is witnessing nowadays a heavy chaos due to instability in the region. (ANI)