Around 100 countries have pledged to guarantee the departure of Afghan refugees after August 31

Nearly 100 countries pledged this Sunday to force the Taliban to keep their promise and allow those who wish to leave Afghanistan., once US troops leave Kabul within the August 31 withdrawal deadline.

This commitment is contained in a joint statement released by the State Department in Washington and signed by 95 nations, in addition to the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, and NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. .

The group said it had received “guarantees” from the Taliban so that nationals of all these countries could travel safely.as well as the Afghans who worked with them.

They pledged that they would continue to issue the necessary documents for these people to leave Afghanistan and said that they have a “clear expectation” that the insurgents will respect these documents and allow them to travel.

“We take note of the Taliban’s public statements confirming this understanding,” they noted.

In addition to the United States, the declaration was signed by Albania, Australia, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Canada, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands , Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo, Romania, Rwanda, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Senegal, Serbia, S Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Bahamas, Gambia, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Union of the Comoros, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia

On Friday, one of the Taliban negotiators, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, announced the group would not prevent anyone from leaving the country and promised Afghans will be able to travel freely.

The nearly 100-nation statement comes after thousands attempted to take one of the US flights at Kabul airport, where Thursday there was an attack that killed at least 170 people and injured dozens.

In less than 48 hours the deadline set by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, for the withdrawal expires end of American troops after 20 years of war.

The Taliban are also demanding that the Americans and their allies completely leave the country by August 31.

On the other hand, Kabul rocked this Sunday with two explosions: that caused by the attack of an American drone on a vehicle in which were traveling supposed ISIS-K and that of the impact of a rocket on a house, which killed at least six civilians.

The Taliban claim that these are two separate incidents, although it is not known whether there is a relationship between the two.

Both occurred near Kabul airport and come at a time of maximum tension after the US government warned of “credible threats” to the airfield., where the American troops are concentrated.

In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesman Captain Bill Urban announced that a US drone struck a vehicle in which suspected members of ISIS-K, the terrorist group that claimed responsibility, were located. the attack on Thursday.

He claimed that the vehicle represented an “imminent threat from the Islamic State-K” against the airport in Kabul. and that, therefore, the attack was carried out “in self-defense”.

“We are confident that we have successfully achieved the goal,” said Urban.

After the drone struck the car, there were “large secondary explosions,” indicating that the vehicle was carrying “a substantial amount” of explosive material, according to a CENTCOM spokesperson.

Previously, the Pentagon had said it had information on plans by radical groups to attack its soldiers at Kabul airport, either by using car bombs, with rockets or by a suicide bomber with explosives.

At this time, according to Urban, there is no “indication” that there are civilian casualties, although the Pentagon continues to assess the impact of the operation.

This new attack by Washington on suspected ISIS-K members comes just a day after an American drone killed two “high-level” jihadists. terrorist group and injured another in retaliation for the airport attack.

(With information from EFE)

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