Afghanistan crisis: Blinken thanks UAE for agreeing to host 5000 Afghan refugees

Following a swift Taliban takeover on 15 August, thousands of people were evacuated by foreign troops. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, 20 August, thanked its partner countries who played an important role to help them evacuate US citizens and 'at-risk Afghans' from Kabul. At the request of the United States, the United Arab Emirates has agreed to host 5,000 Afghan nationals to be evacuated from their country for 10 days on their way to a third country.

Since 14 August, the US facilitated the departure of approximately 13,000 people on military aircraft. 

In a statement, Blinken said, "We are working around the clock to maximise evacuations; we have facilitated the departure of approximately 13,000 people on US military aircraft since 14 August and continue to ramp up operations".

Secretary Blinken further said, "We deeply appreciate the support they have offered, and are proud to partner with them in our shared support of the Afghan people. We are encouraged by other countries that are also considering providing support. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas and to fulfill our commitments to citizens of partner nations and at-risk Afghans."

Terming the evacuation from Afghanistan the "most difficult and largest airlift" ever in the history, US President Joe Biden earlier on Friday had said, "Kabul evacuation is among the largest and most difficult airlifts in history."

As western countries made efforts to evacuate as many Afghan nationals as possible, Biden said, "I have seen no question of our credibility from our allies. As a matter of fact, the exact opposite I have got ... we're acting with dispatch, we're acting, committing to what we said we would do."

UAE to host 5,000 Afghans

On Friday, 20 August, the Gulf Arab state's foreign ministry said, "The evacuees will travel to the UAE from the Afghan capital of Kabul on US aircraft in the coming days."

The statement further informed that the UAE has so far facilitated the evacuation of 8,500 people from Afghanistan on its aircraft and through its airports. 

Three US helicopters transport 169 Americans

Recently, Fox News reporter Lucas Tomlinson tweeted the US military had used three CH-47 "Chinook" helicopters to bring 169 Americans to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, the only escape route from Kabul. 

On Friday, 20 August, US evacuation flights from Kabul's airport were stopped for more than six hours while US authorities looked for countries willing to accept people fleeing Afghanistan. Flights were resumed later in the day. On the same day, US officials from both the State Department and Pentagon declined to confirm the veracity of the helicopter mission that was reportedly executed earlier in the day.

(With ANI input)

(Image credit: AP)