US to continue diplomacy in Afghanistan after Aug. 31 if 'safe'

The United States remains open to keeping its diplomatic presence at Kabul's airport following a withdrawal deadline at the end of August if conditions permit, says a State Department spokesman.

"We are thinking about this in terms of August 31. If it is safe and responsible for us to potentially stay longer, that is something we may be able to look at," Ned Price told reporters on Tuesday.

This comes as the US and its Western allies have been having a hard time evacuating diplomats and civilians after Taliban forces swept back into power. The Taliban took over the capital Kabul on Sunday and declared the war in Afghanistan was over.

Between 5,000 and 10,000 US citizens are thought to remain in the Kabul area, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, who said Tuesday the US could move between 5,000 and 9,000 people out of the capital per day.

He also said three US military bases were ready to accept up to 22,000 Afghan allies in the coming weeks.

Over 700 people, including more than 150 US citizens, were evacuated in the past 24 hours, according to Kirby.

The Taliban has told Washington it would provide safe passage for civilians to reach the airport in Kabul, according to US national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

"The Taliban have informed us that they are prepared to provide the safe passage of civilians to the airport, and we intend to hold them to that commitment," Sullivan said Tuesday.

Sullivan also said that Washington believes the Kabul evacuation can continue until Aug. 31 and that it is negotiating with the Taliban about the exact timetable.

"We believe that this can go till the 31st. We are talking to them about what the exact timetable is for how this will all play out, and I don't want to negotiate in public on working out the best modality to get the most people out in the most efficient way," Sullivan told a White House news briefing.

Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Jan Psaki, when asked about the consequences of the Taliban not sticking to its commitment on Tuesday, said, "The consequences are the full weight and force of the United States military, and I think we've made that clear."

Former US president Donald Trump has criticized his successor Joe Biden for the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“It’s a great thing that we’re getting out, but nobody has ever handled a withdrawal worse than Joe Biden," Trump said in a televised interview with Fox News on Tuesday. “This is the greatest embarrassment, I believe, in the history of our country."

There was chaos at Kabul’s international airport on Monday as massive groups of Afghan civilians stormed the tarmac of the airport, rushing toward a US military aircraft and clinging to its side, frantically trying to leave the country.

The Biden administration says the US has now secured the airport and cleared the way for Americans to evacuate, but Trump said there could be as many as 40,000 “potential hostages" left behind.

MG