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US working to rescue dozens of Americans from Afghanistan
The US is working to assist 44 Americans who want to leave Afghanistan as well as several others detained by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.
“There are several Americans who are being detained by the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). We are working to secure their freedom,” Blinken told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.
“The families have asked that we protect their identities and don’t speak publicly to their cases,” he added.
“Those who have been detained — how many other Americans are there?” said Republican Representative Joe Wilson.
“As we speak, American citizens who identified themselves to us who are in Afghanistan — some of whom have been there since the withdrawal, some of whom went back to Afghanistan — there are about, that we’re in contact with, about 175. Forty-four of them are ready to leave, and we are working to effectuate their departure,” Blinken responded.
Republican lawmakers have been accusing President Joe Biden of the “failed” withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the chaos at Kabul airport in August 2021.
Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee requested documents related to the controversial withdrawal from Afghanistan from the State Department as part of an investigation.
During the hearing Thursday at the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Republican chairman Michael McCaul gave Blinken until the end of Monday to release an internal dissent cable written by at least 23 diplomats serving at the US Embassy in Kabul in July 2021.
“I have the subpoena. it’s right here. And I’m prepared to serve this,” McCaul told Blinken.
The classified cable reportedly warned of the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
Blinken said in response to the committee’s request that the “tradition of having a dissent channel is one that is cherished in the department, and goes back decades.”
“It’s a unique way for anyone in the department to speak truth to power as they see it,” he said.
“These cables may only be shared with senior officials in the department, and again that’s to protect the integrity of the process to make sure we don’t have a chilling effect on those who might want to come forward,” he continued.
He said the State Department is “prepared to make the relevant information in that cable available, including through a briefing or some other mechanism.”
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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