International community urges parties in Afghanistan to facilitate safe departure of foreign nationals

Kabul [Afghanistan] August 16 (ANI): International community on Monday issued a joint statement urging parties in Afghanistan to respect and facilitate the safe and orderly departure of foreign nationals and Afghans who wish to leave the country.

According to the statement, Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so; roads, airports, and border crossing must remain open, and calm must be maintained.

“The Afghan people deserve to live in safety, security, and dignity. We in the international community stand ready to assist them,” the statement read.

The statement has been jointly issued by Albania, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liberia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta , Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Yemen.

Meanwhile, a shocking video in which desperate Afghans who had clung to the underbelly of a C-17 Globemaster falling down from the plane has gone viral.

Earlier today at least three people were killed following gunfire at the passenger terminal of Kabul’s international airport.

The incident happened after thousands of Afghans gathered at the Kabul airport to seek an evacuation flight amid the Taliban’s takeover of the country.

Witnesses reported seeing the prone, bloodied bodies lying on the ground just outside the terminal building.

The airport resembled a chaotic bus station as hundreds of people jostled, pushed and shoved to get on to a waiting plane.

Meanwhile, the US military has taken over the security at the Kabul airport to execute the massive airlift of diplomat presence in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover of the capital city, The Wall Street Journal reported.

On Sunday the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also informed that the President has sent additional forces to ensure an orderly and safe evacuation of the US diplomatic presence in Kabul. (ANI)