Washington [US], August 19 (ANI): Pentagon on Wednesday said that the Taliban are not interfering with evacuation operations by US troops and said the terror group is guaranteeing safe passage to the airport for American citizens.
In a press briefing at the Pentagon, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley told reporters that, “the Taliban are in and around the Kabul right now but they are not interfering with our operations.”
“Through the State Department, the Taliban are guaranteeing safe passage to the airport for American citizens, that is, US passport holders,” Milley said.
When asked if the military had the capability to enter Kabul and extract people, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, “We don’t have the capability to go out and collect the large numbers of people out.”
Miley’s remarks is in sharp contrast with State Department‘s statement on the matter.

The US embassy in Kabul issued an advisory, saying that the US government cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai international Airport.
A few hours later, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters at the State Department today that, “we have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport.”
Sherman said that the State Department‘s team in Doha, Qatar, is meeting with Taliban officials, and “our military partners on the ground in Kabul are engaging directly with the Taliban to make clear that we expect them to allow all American citizens all third-country nationals and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment.”
The US has so far evacuated “approximately 5,000 people” from Afghanistan and its military intends to increase the number of evacuees.
On Sunday, the Taliban declared victory after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled abroad and his government collapsed.
Like many other countries, the US started evacuating its nationals and some Afghans with links to foreign governments and organisations.

US evacuates approx 5,000 people from Afghanistan so far

The US has so far evacuated “approximately 5,000 people” from Afghanistan and its military intends to increase the number of evacuees.
According to CNN, this was informed by US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley.
He did not break down the categories of evacuees.
“Right now, we are averaging about 20 sorties of C-17s every 24 hours,” Milley said, referring to US military planes.
On Sunday, the Taliban declared victory after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled abroad and his government collapsed.

Like many other countries, the US started evacuating its nationals and some Afghans with links to foreign governments and organisations.
The US government has said that thousands of American citizens, locals embassy staff and their families, as well as other “vulnerable Afghan nationals” will be airlifted in the coming days.
Milley outlined the dangerous situation on the ground in Afghanistan, saying US troops are “at-risk” and that they need to be the nation’s main focus. He, however, said that the security situation at the airport is currently stable, but there are threats and they are being monitored.
“Today the situation is still very dangerous, very dynamic, and very fluid. And all of us can be proud for the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines executing this mission. They are currently in harm’s way. That needs to be our focus,” Milley said at a Pentagon briefing Wednesday.
“There will be many postmortems on this topic, but right now is not that time. Right now there are troops at risk. And we are the United States military and we fully intend to successfully evacuate all American citizens who want to get out of Afghanistan. All American citizens who want to get out of Afghanistan. They are our priority number one,” he continued.
“In addition, we intend to evacuate those who have been supporting us for years and we won’t leave them behind. And we will get out as many as possible. Our troops in Kabul are taking the high risks to accomplish that mission. Every minute these troops are on the ground making difficult decisions with incredible skill, incredible bravery, and incredible valor,” he added.

There have been no ‘hostile interactions’ with Taliban: US Defence Secretary

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that US service members have not had any “hostile interactions” with the Taliban as the terror group takes control of Afghanistan and America is frantically evacuating its personnel.
“There have been no hostile interactions with the Taliban. And our lines of communication with Taliban commanders remain open as they should be,” Austin said during a news briefing on Wednesday.
On Sunday, the Taliban declared victory after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled abroad and his government collapsed.

Like many other countries, the US started evacuating its nationals and some Afghans with links to foreign governments and organisations.
The US government has said that thousands of American citizens, locals embassy staff and their families, as well as other “vulnerable Afghan nationals” will be airlifted in the coming days.
Earlier in the day, Pentagon said that senior US military officers at the Kabul airport are talking to Taliban commanders in the capital about Taliban checkpoints and curfews that have limited the number of Americans and Afghans to enter the airport.
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said there are now about 4,500 US troops at the airport, with several hundred more expected to arrive by Thursday.

Taliban guaranteeing safe passage to Kabul airport for our citizens: US

Pentagon on Wednesday said that the Taliban are not interfering with evacuation operations by US troops and said the terror group is guaranteeing safe passage to the airport for American citizens.
In a press briefing at the Pentagon, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley told reporters that, “the Taliban are in and around the Kabul right now but they are not interfering with our operations.”
“Through the State Department, the Taliban are guaranteeing safe passage to the airport for American citizens, that is, US passport holders,” Milley said.
When asked if the military had the capability to enter Kabul and extract people, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, “We don’t have the capability to go out and collect the large numbers of people out.”
Miley’s remarks is in sharp contrast with State Department‘s statement on the matter.

The US embassy in Kabul issued an advisory, saying that the US government cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai international Airport.
A few hours later, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters at the State Department today that, “we have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport.”
Sherman said that the State Department‘s team in Doha, Qatar, is meeting with Taliban officials, and “our military partners on the ground in Kabul are engaging directly with the Taliban to make clear that we expect them to allow all American citizens all third-country nationals and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment.”
The US has so far evacuated “approximately 5,000 people” from Afghanistan and its military intends to increase the number of evacuees.
On Sunday, the Taliban declared victory after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled abroad and his government collapsed.
Like many other countries, the US started evacuating its nationals and some Afghans with links to foreign governments and organisations. (ANI)