200 non-Afghan passengers including American citizens will fly today out of Kabul in the first airlift since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“Not all 200 are US citizens. There are American citizens amongst the group departing Kabul to Doha,” says a source in Doha says.
The flights are the first to leave since the end of the rushed US military-led evacuations finished last month, following the Taliban takeover of the country on 15 August.
More than 124,000 foreigners and Afghans fearful of Taliban retribution managed to flee the country.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged help with evacuations during a recent visit to Qatar, which is reportedly involved in the operation.
Hundreds of Afghan citizens who had helped the US military were unable to get out in last month’s US airlift.
Around 100 US citizens remain in Afghanistan.
Taliban to Guarantee Safe Passage
The Taliban has earlier promised to allow foreigners and Afghans to leave Afghanistan beyond 31 August.
This came during a meeting between the Taliban groups and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken pointed out that Washington and its allies had “a responsibility to hold [the Taliban] to that commitment”.
Blinken said the US was still on track to complete operations at Kabul airport by the end of the month.
There are still thousands inside and outside the airport wanting to fly out.
