The US, UK and Australia have warned of a possible attacks by an ISIL offshoot in Afghanistan.
Therefore, the US and its allies called on Afghan people to move away from the international airport in Kabul amid ‘high threat of attack by ISIL offshoot’.
The US Embassy in Kabul issued an alert advising US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport. It further said those already at the gates should leave immediately. It cited unspecified “security threats”.
The British Foreign Office issued a similar advisory, telling people in the area of the airport to “move away to a safe location”, adding, “There is an ongoing and high threat of terrorist attack.”
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also urged Australians and Afghans with a visa for Australia to leave the area, warning of a “very high threat of a terrorist attack” at the airport.
Safe Passage Promised
On the other hand, the Taliban has 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.
More than 82,000 have been airlifted from Kabul, which fell to the Taliban 10 days ago. The militants have opposed extending the deadline of the US-led evacuation.
Kabul has earlier urged all European countries including Poland in early July to halt forced deportations for the next three months.
Several countries haven’t said yet when they plan to end their operations, perhaps hoping to avoid yet another fatal crush at an airport that’s one of the last ways out of the country.
