Taliban warn US against extending evacuation deadline

The Taliban have rejected the potential extension of a looming deadline for US and other foreign troops to completely withdraw from Afghanistan, and called on Washington to stop evacuating skilled Afghans after the group’s takeover of the country.

Taliban’s Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at a news conference in the capital, Kabul, on Tuesday that the militant group would not agree to an extension of the August 31 deadline for full foreign evacuations from Afghanistan and was not in favor of Afghan nationals leaving the country.

Mujahid called on the United States not to encourage Afghan people to leave their homeland, and urged foreign embassies not to close or stop work.

Mujahid repeated earlier warnings by the Taliban against extending the airlift of Afghans, saying Americans were taking “Afghan experts,” such as engineers out of Afghanistan.

“We ask them to stop this process,” he said. “This country needs their expertise. They should not be taken to other countries.”

Mujahid urged Afghans to “return to their homes and resume their calm everyday lives” as the crowding at the Kabul airport was dangerous and “people could lose their lives.”

The Taliban spokesman told the thousands of Afghans crowding into the airport in the hope of boarding flights that they had nothing to fear and should go home, saying, "We guarantee their security.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mujahid said the formation of a new government in Afghanistan will be announced soon and the Taliban will cooperate with the future government, adding that its fighters will be recruited into the Afghan army.

ME