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DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Qatar’s emir in Doha on Monday for disaster talks on Afghanistan after the Taliban claimed to have full management over the nation.
Blinken, accompanied by Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin, is essentially the most senior US official to go to the area for the reason that Taliban’s lightning takeover of Afghanistan on August 15.
In his assembly with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Blinken thanked the Gulf state ruler for “Qatar’s extraordinary help in facilitating the protected transit of US residents, our companions, and different Afghans at-risk” throughout america’ chaotic navy pullout from Afghanistan.
Additionally they “mentioned different necessary bilateral points,” in keeping with a short State Division assertion.
The highest diplomat was not on account of meet any of the Taliban’s Doha representatives, however State Division official Dean Thompson stated Washington would proceed to interact with the Islamist group “to make sure our messaging with them is obvious.”
Qatar, which hosts a significant US airbase, has been the gateway for 55,000 individuals airlifted out of Afghanistan, practically half the full quantity evacuated by US-led forces after the Taliban’s takeover.
Earlier than his arrival, Blinken stated that in Qatar he would “specific our deep gratitude for all that they’re doing to help the evacuation effort,” and meet rescued Afghans.
He may also meet US diplomats, after Washington relocated its embassy in Kabul to Doha, together with various allies together with Britain and the Netherlands.
The State Division stated Blinken would focus on with Qatar its efforts, alongside Turkey, to reopen Kabul’s airport — important to fly in badly wanted humanitarian support and to evacuate remaining Afghans.
Qatar invited the Taliban to open a political workplace in Doha in 2013, subsequently internet hosting talks between Washington and the Taliban that concluded in 2020 with a troop withdrawal settlement. It was adopted by direct negotiations between the previous insurgents and the Afghan authorities.
The Taliban on Monday claimed complete management over Afghanistan, saying they’d received the important thing battle for the Panjshir Valley, the final remaining holdout of resistance towards their rule.
The group is but to finalize its new regime after rolling into the capital Kabul three weeks in the past at a pace that analysts say seemingly stunned even the hardline Islamists themselves.
After Doha, Blinken will head Wednesday to the US air base at Ramstein in Germany, a short lived house for hundreds of Afghans shifting to america.
US officers say some Individuals might have left Afghanistan since america ended its 20-year warfare on the finish of August, however they might have completed so by non-public means.
Shortly earlier than Blinken landed in Qatar, an official disclosed that 4 Individuals had left Afghanistan with Taliban data, within the first departures organized by Washington since its withdrawal.
The 4 US residents left by land and had been greeted by US diplomats, stated the senior official, with out specifying to which nation they crossed, including that “the Taliban didn’t impede them.”
Washington is carefully watching whether or not the Taliban makes good on guarantees to let US residents and allies depart because it decides how you can cope with the Islamists.
US officers say simply over 100 Individuals, largely twin nationals, stay in Afghanistan after the huge airlift of tens of hundreds of individuals within the final days of America’s longest warfare.
President Joe Biden’s Republican rivals have been fast to accuse him of abandoning Individuals.
However tens of hundreds of interpreters or others who supported the US mission and their members of the family are believed to stay, with many fearing retribution regardless of Taliban assurances.
With the Kabul airport in disarray, land routes are the important thing approach out of Afghanistan, primarily although Pakistan or Iran, which doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Washington.
Whereas at Ramstein, Blinken will maintain a digital 20-nation ministerial assembly on the disaster alongside German Overseas Minister Heiko Maas.
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