US praises Taliban for being 'business-like, professional' in arranging latest evacuation
According to National Security Council spokesman Emily Horne, the departure of a chartered Qatar Airways flight from Kabul to Doha on Thursday represented "a promising first step" with the new administration.
FollowThe US hailed the Taliban on Thursday for being business-like and helpful in arranging the first evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan since the US military's departure.
According to National Security Council spokesman Emily Horne, the departure of a chartered Qatar Airways flight from Kabul to Doha on Thursday represented "a promising first step" with the new administration. She claimed the Taliban had helped arrange charter flights from HKIA for American citizens and lawful permanent residents in a statement.
She noted that they had demonstrated flexibility and businesslike and professional behaviour in our contacts with them in this endeavour. Horne said the US "facilitated" the withdrawal of Americans from Afghanistan on Thursday and thanked Qatar for its assistance.
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Nearly 40 US nationals or permanent residents were asked to join the flight, but only 21 did so, according to a tweet from State Department spokesman Ned Price late Thursday.
The US had previously stated that less than 100 Americans remained in Afghanistan after President Joe Biden concluded the 20-year military deployment in August.
Price stated that most Americans who remained had ties in Afghanistan and had to make "heartbreaking" decisions about going. They did not need to decide immediately.
During the final two weeks of the war, an around-the-clock airlift transported almost 123,000 people, including most Americans in Afghanistan. Biden and his administration have been heavily chastised for leaving Americans at the mercy of the Taliban. Representative Mike Waltz and Senator Lindsey Graham, both vocal Republican opponents of the pullout, applauded the Qatari flight.Former President, Donald Trump's administration, signed a withdrawal deal with the Taliban and halted attempts to allow Afghan allies to come to the United States.
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