Washington: Committed to complete evacuations from Afghanistan

The US Department of Defense said Saturday that Washington is committed to complete evacuations of its nationals and Afghans who are cooperative and at risk from Afghanistan.

US Defense Department spokesman John Kirby confirmed that the situation at the Kabul airport is changing daily.

He added: “We are checking the identities of Afghans before they enter the US.”

He continued: “We are trying to get as many people as possible out of Kabul airport as soon as possible,” he said, adding that “we do not rule out the possibility of US troops going out of Kabul airport to transport people.”

Last Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the line of communication with the Taliban is open, noting his country’s commitment to support the Afghan people.

“The line of communication with the Taliban is open,” Austin said at a news conference in Washington. “America has a moral obligation to help the Afghans who have helped it.”

He continued: “There are about 4500 US troops in Kabul right now and no clashes with the Taliban”.

He went on: “The US military’s goal is to increase the capacity for daily evacuations from Afghanistan.”

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said during the news conference, “The security situation at Kabul Airport is stable now.”

“The Taliban are facilitating the arrival of US passport holders at Kabul Airport,” he said. “There were no signs of Afghan forces collapsing in 11 days.”

Western countries are rushing to evacuate their nationals and Afghan collaborators from Afghanistan days after the Taliban took full control of the country and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled.