US Secy Antony Blinken thanks Qatari Deputy PM for continued support in Afghan evacuation

Days after United States ended its military involvement in Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Friday, thanked Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for helping in evacuations of US citizens from Kabul after it fell to Taliban terrorists.

"Spoke with Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani about Qatar's help facilitating departure of US citizens from Kabul. We're grateful for ongoing support," Blinken tweeted.

On Thursday, 9 September, a media report stated that around 200 people including US citizens have been allowed by Taliban to leave war-torn country through a Qatari flight. Earlier on Tuesday, 7 September, Blinken h said that State Department was in touch with Taliban to facilitate ditional charter flights from Kabul for American citizens stranded in Afghanistan.  

Blinken informed that US is monitoring situation by being in "constant touch" with American citizens stranded in southcentral Asian country, besides maintaining channels of communication with Taliban on its commitment to allow people to leave Afghanistan if y wish to.

It should be ted here that Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also visited Qatar early this week to extend ir gratitude to Gulf Arab country for providing crucial help in evacuating thousands of people from Afghanistan. Qatar has also hosted Taliban's political office for over 8 years and Doha is currently a state leing Afghanistan diplomatic operations as several Afghans that worked with NATO and US forces await a transfer to US and or nations. 

Biden ministration concerned over some Taliban cabinet members

On Monday, 30 August, US anunced completion of its massive evacuation operations in Afghanistan. President Joe Biden said that US completed one of biggest airlifts in history, evacuating over 120,000 people to safety. last American soldier to leave country, Major General Chris Donahue, boarded a US C-17 aircraft on 30 August, marking end of a 20-year-long US mission in Kabul. United Nations also resumed humanitarian flights on Friday, 3 September, to deliver relief supplies to Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Biden ministration has expressed concerns over affiliations and track records of several newly-anunced Taliban cabinet members. On Tuesday, 7  September, Taliban anunced its interim government which will be heed by Mullah Mohamm Hasan Akhund, he of Taliban's decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura.'

(With ncy inputs, Im: AP)