Antony Blinken thanks Qatar Deputy PM for supporting US evacuation process in Afghanistan
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed that he discussed the evacuation process in Afghanistan with Qatar Deputy PM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
- World News
- 2 min read
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Saturday, informed that he has discussed the evacuation process in Afghanistan with Qatar's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Blinken thanked Al Thani "for Qatar's continued support to transit US citizens." Blinken said that Qatar has gone above and beyond to help the USA in evacuating its citizens from Afghanistan.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanks Qatar officials.
The US Secretary of State informed that during his call with the Qatari deputy prime minister, he had thanked him for the country's continued support to transit US citizens.
During my call with Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs @MBA_AlThani_, I thanked him again for Qatar’s continued support to transit U.S. citizens, @USEmbassyKabul personnel, & foreign nationals from Afghanistan. Qatar has gone above & beyond with its help.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 28, 2021
Earlier, on Friday, US Secretary of State Blinken held discussions with Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Eriksen Søreide regarding the "security situation in Kabul."
Following yesterday’s horrific attack, I discussed the security situation in Kabul with @NorwayMFA Eriksen Søreide and expressed our gratitude for the Norwegian-staffed field hospital’s heroic efforts.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 28, 2021
USA's Afghan evacuation
The White House, on Friday, tweeted the updated figure of what it called one of the "most difficult and largest airlifts ever conducted in history." The White House informed about the evacuation of approximately 12,500 people from Afghanistan despite a terrorist attack near the Kabul airport, on Thursday.
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Update: From 3 AM ET on 8/26 to 3 AM ET on 8/27 a total of approximately 12,500 people were evacuated from Kabul. 35 US military flights carried approximately 8,500 evacuees, and 54 coalition flights carried approximately 4,000 people.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 27, 2021
Since August 14, the U.S. has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 105,000 people. Since the end of July, we have re-located approximately 110,600 people.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 27, 2021
The US also said it will go ahead with its plan to conclude its Afghanistan mission by 31 August, even as the evacuation effort, which is now in its "retrograde period", is facing an "ongoing and acute threat" from ISIS-K. The 31 August deadline has been agreed upon by the USA and the Taliban for America's pullout from the war-torn country. “The threat is ongoing and it is active. Our troops are still in danger. That continues to be the case every day that they are there. This is the most dangerous part of the mission," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily press briefing, on Friday.
US to handover Kabul Airport to 'Afghan people'
The USA also plans to hand over the Kabul airport to the "Afghan people," after their exit. In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that "upon our departure, we will transfer the Kabul airport back to the Afghan people." Earlier, a Taliban spokesperson had said that the group continue to control parts of Kabul airport.