after the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, at least 200 US citizens remained in the country. This is reported by Associated Press.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated that after the resumption of work of the Kabuli Airport, the Americans will continue to evacuate the remaining US citizens, as well as those who want to leave the country of Afghans. According to Blinken, the United States will help neighbors of Afghanistan.
“We have no illusions that all this will be held quickly and easily,” said the representative of the State Department. Blinken noted that the number of Americans who did not have time to leave the country varies in the range from 100 to 200 people. According to him, their export will take place both transit through neighboring countries and through charter flights after the resumption of the airport in Kabul.
Secretary of State stated that the US Embassy in Kabul will not resume its work in the near future, all contacts between the United States and the Government of the Taliban (a terrorist organization prohibited in Russia) will be carried out through the United States Embassy in the capital of Qatar – Doha.
“We will continue our tireless efforts to help Americans, foreign citizens and Afghans leave the country, if they want it. Our obligations to these people are indefinite,” Blinken stressed.
General of the Marine Corps and the head of the Central Command of the US Armed Forces Kenneth McCenzie said that in recent evacuation, the US Armed Forces managed to take about 1500 Afghans. The general noted that the army until the last moment was ready to take American citizens, but they did not appear at the airport.
“with this departure is associated with a lot of grief. We did not pull out everyone who wanted. But I think if we were still ten days, we would have been able to take everyone,” McKenzi said. The general also reported that American marines were out of order part of the equipment that could be used for military purposes. In particular, 27 Army Hummer and 73 aircraft were in disrepair.