Poland has stopped participating in air evacuation Afghanistan There are growing signs that the short and chaotic air bridge that saved tens of thousands of people may soon be over.
Both the U.S. and the Taliban insist that The deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops is still August 31 – In less than a week – Deputy Prime Minister Marcin Przydacz stated that the team evacuated to Uzbekistan on Wednesday will be the last group.
Przydacz said that the decision was made after consultations with US and British officials. He added: “After a long-term analysis of the security situation report, we cannot risk the lives of diplomats and soldiers.”
Prior to Poland’s announcement, there were growing signs that the evacuation may be quickly ending. British Foreign Secretary, Dominique Raab said on Wednesday “It is clear that the troops will be withdrawn at the end of this month.”
Raab added that it is not clear how many people will be left behind. Afghanistan Once the British army retreated.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that after the Central European country airlifted more than 500 people from Kabul, the evacuation of Hungary is nearing completion.
Szijjártó said at a press conference: “The exact time will be announced by the army commander, and this may happen as soon as today,” adding that most of the evacuees are Afghan nationals who support Hungarian charities or the Hungarian army.
French Minister of European Affairs Clément Beaune said that France also stated that its evacuation of its citizens and partners from Afghanistan is “very likely” to end on Thursday.
The Taliban threatened to prevent Afghans from going to Kabul Airport on Tuesday. Biden said the United States will abide by the August 31 deadline. It is clear that a large number of Afghans who wish to flee will be trapped under Taliban rule.
It is estimated that 300,000 Afghans may be vulnerable because of their relationship with the United States and its Western allies.
Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that 70,700 people have been airlifted so far.
“We are currently completing it by August 31 as planned,” he said. “The sooner we finish, the better. Every day’s actions will bring additional risks to our troops.”
U.S. military officials said that the 6,000 U.S. troops stationed in Kabul may begin a full evacuation as early as this week or weekend, and about 300 have already been evacuated.
According to an interview published on Wednesday at the Paris Games, the leaders of the Taliban resistance vowed to never surrender, but expressed their willingness to negotiate with the new ruler of Afghanistan, which is evidence of the end of the airlift.
Ahmed Masood, the son of Afghan rebel commander Ahmed Shah Masood, retreated with former Vice President Amrullah Saleh to his hometown of Panjshir Valley north of Kabul.
“I would rather die than surrender,” Massoud told French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levi in the first interview after the Taliban took over Kabul. “I am the son of Ahmed Shah Masood. Surrender is not a word in my vocabulary.”
