[ad_1]
State Department confirmed departure of Qatar Airways charter flight Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, securing 28 U.S. citizens and 7 lawful permanent residents.
State Department spokesman Ned Price released a statement on Saturday detailing the number of Americans rescued and thanked the Taliban for their “cooperation” with the international community.
“We can confirm that a Qatar Airways charter flight took off from Kabul yesterday with 28 US citizens and 7 legal permanent residents on board, ”Price said. “We are grateful to the Qatari authorities, who continue to coordinate these flights with us. We will continue to help US citizens and Afghans affiliated with the US government to leave Afghanistan. The international community welcomes the cooperation of the Taliban on these flights, and we will continue our commitment to ensure that American citizens and Afghans enjoy full freedom of movement. “
A THIRD PLANE LEAVING AFGHANISTAN WITH AMERICANS ON BOARD WAIT IN DOHA
This charter flight is only the third confirmed flight carrying Americans out of Afghanistan since the United States withdrew completely from the country and the Taliban took control.
Friday, United States correspondent Zalmai Khalilzad confirmed that a plane chartered by Qatar Airlines landed in Qatar carrying around 170 civilians. Khalilzad said he was “grateful that more Americans were able to leave [Friday] on a Qatar Airways flight. “
“As President Biden said, there is no deadline for the Americans to stay in Afghanistan,” the envoy added. “We remain committed to getting them out if they want to come home.”
According to the Associated Press, State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter confirmed that the plane took off from Kabul on Friday, but said that at the time, government officials were still working to determine the number of Americans and Afghan allies on the flight, which landed in Doha.
Porter also said on Friday that a total of 36 US citizens had left Afghanistan between charter flights and land crossings since the withdrawal of US troops.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on September 8 that the Taliban must allow planes carrying Americans and their allies to leave Kabul airport or face consequences.
“These flights need to be able to go, and the United States government, the State Department – we’re doing everything we can to help make that happen,” Blinken said. “These flights have to move. I pointed out some of the complications that exist, but these flights have to move.”
Despite the efforts of the State Department, around 100 Americans remain trapped in Afghanistan.
Thomas Barrabi of The Associated Press and Fox News contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link