The U.S. and other Western military planners are speeding up plans to evacuate embassy staff Afghanistan Because Kabul is increasingly threatened by the Taliban’s accelerated actions.
The Pentagon said on Thursday that it will temporarily deploy about 3,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan to help ensure the downsizing of the US Embassy in Kabul.
Officials said these soldiers will provide additional ground and air support for the handling and safety of American personnel who will be airlifted to Kabul Airport. The troops plan to arrive within 48 hours.
Other countries are expected to follow suit, as the Taliban’s triumphant pace continues, with rebels claiming to occupy the country’s second and third largest cities, Kandahar and Herat, on Thursday.
Some countries have begun to evacuate people, the United States and Turkey Negotiations are underway for a security plan for the Capital Airport, which is essential for any evacuation activities.
The development took place after U.S. intelligence assessed that Kabul might be occupied. Within 30 to 90 days And warned American citizens to leave the country immediately in any way possible. Germany also told its citizens to leave on Thursday.
A senior official of the U.S. Embassy said In an interview with CBS Last month, the embassy “added some additional rapid response capabilities just in case.”
Since Joe Biden announced that the United States is about to end its military presence, the security situation in Afghanistan has been largely limited by domestic political considerations in the United States, as the president has been criticized by some Republican opponents for handling the withdrawal of troops after 20 years.
U.S. officials said that there is no decision or order to evacuate U.S. diplomats, but an official said that it is time for serious discussions on whether the U.S. military should start transferring assets to the region, in case the state department requests an emergency. evacuation.
The security issue of the US diplomatic mission has been discussed for several months, and even before the Taliban advances in lightning speed, a key component of it is whether the US military has unrestricted access to Kabul International Airport and allows it to send personnel out of Kabul International. Airport. capital.
The United States already has warships in the area, including the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS Iwo Jima, with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Force on board.
The heavily guarded U.S. embassy is only a few miles from the airport, along a road protected by the U.S. military, leading Biden Issued a statement in CBS News’ “Face the Country” in July “Under no circumstances will you see people being hung from the roof of the U.S. Embassy from Afghanistan,” referring to U.S. Embassy in Saigon evacuated In 1975.
A key factor in determining whether to keep the embassy open and the degree of embassy openness is whether the Kabul Airport can be protected. Turkey has expressed its wish to operate and protect it.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday that his country is seeking financial, logistical and diplomatic guarantees, citing concerns that if the airport is closed, the diplomatic mission will be completely withdrawn.
“For this reason, we continue to share our views that the airport should remain open. In the next few days, this issue will take shape,” he said in a comment issued in a statement by the Ministry of Defense.
After India decided to withdraw consular staff from the besieged northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Denmark said on Thursday that it would withdraw 45 Afghan citizens working for its government and provide them with two-year residency in European countries .
The plan approved on Wednesday applies to personnel working at the Danish Embassy in Kabul and serving as interpreters for the Danish army.
“The security situation in Afghanistan is severe. The Taliban is making progress, and it is developing faster than many people fear,” the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said after receiving broad political support for the withdrawal plan.
The ministry stated: “We have a shared responsibility to help Afghans who are now threatened by Denmark’s involvement in Afghan affairs.”
The evacuees will be screened in Afghanistan and upon arrival in Denmark, where they will undergo “security interviews with immigration authorities and other relevant Danish authorities”.
In recent days, I have also felt that the Taliban’s progress has continuously expanded its influence on the region, including Russia Announced that it would provide 1.1 million U.S. dollars to its ally Tajikistan to establish a new outpost on the Tajik-Afghanistan border.
The planned outpost will be located in Khatlon Province in Tajikistan, adjacent to Kunduz Province in Afghanistan, where the Taliban insurgents are located Take over the provincial capital this week.
Russia has a military base in Tajikistan. Tajikistan is a former Soviet republic. Its government is concerned about the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.
Last month, hundreds of Afghan soldiers crossed the border into Tajikistan and fled the Taliban. Tajikistan later sent them back through a special plane arranged by the Kabul government.
Organizations that contributed to this report
