UK to urge US to extend Kabul evacuations beyond August 31 to help other nations
At an emergency meeting of Group of Seven leaders scheduled on Tuesday convened by Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to press President Joe Biden for it.
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FollowAmid the United States and its allies continued efforts to evacuate nationals, refugees and some Afghans, Britain has urged America to extend its evacuation effort in Kabul beyond the current August 31 deadline.
The UK said that without the Americans, other countries will have no choice but to stop their own operations to help people fleeing after the Taliban takeover.
At an emergency meeting of Group of Seven leaders scheduled on Tuesday convened by Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to press President Joe Biden for it.
Also, some UK military leaders have advised Britain to keep troops at Kabul airport to continue the evacuation effort even if the Americans leave. But an Associated Press report quoted Armed Forces Minister James Heappey saying on Monday that “there is a hard reality that there would be no international airlift without the way that the US are underpinning it”.
He said that “whether or not the US can be persuaded to stay is a matter for the prime minister tomorrow in the G-7 meeting”. He said that an agreement from the Taliban would also be needed for an extension, the report said.
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According to reports, Britain has said its forces have evacuated more than 5,700 people -- chiefly UK citizens and Afghans -- from Kabul in the last 10 days, 1,821 of them in the past 24 hours.
However, Joe Biden has not ruled out the August 31 deadline extension he set before the Taliban’s swift takeover in Afghanistan, but he said he hoped it would not be necessary.
Meanwhile, The Taliban, which gained power in Afghanistan on August 15, have issued a warning stating the US will face "serious consequences" in the event of any delay or extension in the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
(With inputs from agency)
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