The US suspends diplomatic presence in Kabul: Antony Blinken
New Delhi: The Washington government has suspended its diplomatic presence in Kabul, and shifted its operations to Qatar on Monday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken committed to helping every American who wants to leave the war-weary nation.
“As of today, we have suspended our diplomatic presence in Kabul and transferred our operations to Doha, Qatar,” Blinken said.
America’s top diplomat, speaking just hours after the final evacuation flights left Kabul, said a small number of US citizens, ‘under 200’ but likely closer to just 100, remained in the country.
A few days back – The Taliban has asked the US to maintain its diplomatic presence in Kabul. On condition of anonymity, the US official said that “Afghanistan’s new hardline Islamist rulers want countries to keep their embassies open after the evacuation mission wraps on August 31.”
US military is scheduled to leave Kabul Tuesday under the deadline set and insisted on by President Joe Biden. So if Biden kept a presence in Kabul there would be no soldiers to protect diplomats.
The Taliban on the US drone strike also said that Washington will have no right to attack the country after August 31. Suhail Shaheen – spokesperson for the group`s political office said that the Taliban-led government will stop any such attack in Afghanistan after August 31.
