Sleepless nights for past 2 weeks: Qatar's Assistant FM on Afghanistan evacuation efforts

As evacuation operations inch closer to August 31 deline in Afghanistan, Qatar has a significant role to play after US pullout from war-ravaged country. Qatar has been facilitating global evacuation efforts since Taliban took over Kabul on Sunday, August 15. According to AP, Qatar government has ties with Taliban and United States and now Qatar ministration has been asked to assist in deciding about future of Afghanistan. On August 30, US plans to host a virtual ministerial meeting with key partners in Afghanistan.

Role of Qatar after US pullout from Afghanistan

meeting hosted by US will include France, Germany, Qatar, Cana, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Turkey, European Union and NATO. leers of respective nations will discuss approach for days and weeks ahe in war-torn country. As US completes its military withdrawal on August 31, Taliban has reportedly asked Qatar to provide civilian technical assistance at Kabul Airport, according to AP. Qatar authorities have not responded to reports suggesting any such development.

According to AP, about 40 per cent of all people evacuated from war-torn country moved out via Qatar. It is reported that in order to move out ir staff, media organisations also took help from Qatar. Speaking to Associated Press, Assistant Qatar Foreign Minister Lolwa al-Khater informed that y were having sleepless nights for past two weeks and refuted claims that y were doing it only for political gains. Al-Khater furr ded that Qatar airlifted about 1500 people from Afghanistan and provided safe passage to approximately 3000 people.

"If anyone assumes that it’s only about political gains, believe me, re are ways to do PR that are way easier than risking our people re on ground, way easier than us having sleepless nights literally for past two weeks, way less complicated than spending our time looking after every kid and every pregnant woman", Al-Khater told Associated Press.

Earlier on August 28, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed that he has discussed evacuation process in Afghanistan with Qatar's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Blinken thanked Al Thani "for Qatar's continued support to transit US citizens". Blinken said that Qatar has gone above and beyond to help US in evacuating its citizens from Afghanistan. It is pertinent to mention that on August 20, US President Joe Biden lauded Qatar’s "generous support" for ongoing evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan. President also thanked Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Ham Al Thani for important role Qatar has played to "facilitate intra-Afghanistan talks". 

IMAGE: AP

(With Inputs from AP)