The US Embassy in Kabul called on American citizens to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible due to the security issues in the country, having published an alert statement on Saturday.
The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options.
Please see our #SecurityAlert below⬇️for more information. https://t.co/tU1qywKd5w
— U.S. Embassy Kabul (@USEmbassyKabul) August 7, 2021
The American staff of the embassy in Kabul that can work remotely have already departed Afghanistan, in accordance with the order of the Department of State issued on April 27, which hinders timely assistance to US citizens in emergency situations.
“The US Embassy urges US citizens to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options. Given the security conditions and reduced staffing, the Embassy’s ability to assist US citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited even within Kabul,” the statement read.
The embassy said US citizens in Afghanistan could use repatriation loans if they experienced difficulties in buying tickets for commercial flights.
Additionally, US nationals were reminded to enroll in the Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so that the embassy could keep them updated in case of emergencies and inform of an evacuation flight in the future.
Among the threats in Afghanistan, the embassy cited “crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict, and COVID-19.”
Afghanistan is seeing a spike in violence now as the Taliban have stepped up their offensive after international started a gradual withdrawal from the country, which was scheduled to be completed by September 11.
The pullout was stipulated in the agreement the Taliban and the United States signed in Doha in February 2020.
Afghanistan-Pakistan Blame Game
Earlier, the Afghan Ambassador to the UN Ghulam Isaczai said that Afghanistan is prepared to provide the United Nations Security Council with material evidence supporting its claims that Pakistan is providing a supply chain to the Taliban.
“Should members of the Security Council want that evidence, we are ready to provide them,” Ghulam told reporters.
Ghulam added that the Afghan government has been in constant contact with the Pakistani government about the matter and has provided Islamabad with the evidence.
Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf said on Thursday that Islamabad is disappointed at Afghanistan’s accusations.
Fighting has surged in Afghanistan in recent weeks as the Taliban has intensified the offensive to recapture Afghanistan since foreign forces began to withdraw from the country.
As Taliban Sweeps Afghanistan, Its ‘Department Of Evil’ Sends Shivers Across The Female Subjects
Meanwhile, Kabul has repeatedly accused Islamabad of supporting the Taliban and preventing the Afghan forces from carrying out military operations against the terror group.
In response, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Munir Akram said in a press briefing that Islamabad rejects accusations by Afghanistan that terrorists use its territory as a safe haven as the country’s border is 97% fenced,
“We totally reject that,” Akram said when asked to comment on the accusation made earlier by the Afghan Ambassador to the United Nations. “Pakistan has terrorist groups from its soil eliminated. There are no safe havens in Pakistan. Our border with Afghanistan is 97% fenced and there is no free flow of people. ”
