Taleban, despite checkpoints, US "Promises safe passage at Kabul Airport... Evacuation operation continues"

On the 17th (local time), some Taliban forces are standing guard at a checkpoint set up by Taliban troops in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor at the White House, stated that the Taliban, which has taken control of Afghanistan, has promised safe passage to the airport in Kabul for the evacuation of American civilians from Afghanistan.

According to foreign media on the 17th (local time), Advisor Sullivan said at a press briefing that "the Taliban has informed us that they are prepared to provide safe passage for civilians to the airport," adding, "We expect them to keep this promise."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned that if the Taliban fails to honor their promise to guarantee safe passage, the U.S. will face military responses.

As the fall of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, enters its final countdown, on the 15th (local time), a U.S. military Chinook helicopter involved in the evacuation operation was flying over the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The U.S. is in an emergency situation to ensure the safe evacuation of Americans after the Taliban captured Kabul before the evacuation of Americans residing locally was completed. The White House stated that approximately 11,000 people who have identified themselves as Americans remain in Afghanistan.

The U.S. has stationed troops at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to significantly strengthen security and is facilitating the departure of American citizens, Afghans who cooperated with U.S. forces, and third-country nationals from there.

Currently, about 4,000 U.S. troops are stationed at the airport, and according to the U.S. Department of Defense, this number is expected to increase to up to 6,000.

Jake Sullivan, U.S. White House National Security Advisor
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Advisor Sullivan said the evacuation operation could continue until the end of this month, with the capacity to evacuate between 5,000 and up to 9,000 people per day.

Additionally, U.S. authorities announced plans to issue Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) to Afghans who cooperated with U.S. forces to facilitate their departure. The Department of Defense expects to evacuate up to approximately 22,000 local individuals through this program.

However, foreign media reported growing doubts about whether safe departure is possible for SIV-eligible locals amid the Taliban’s control over most of Kabul.

Residents who fled from the conflict area between the Afghan security forces and the Islamic militant group Taliban were living in tents in a park area in the capital Kabul on the 14th (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

A U.S. official said, "For the evacuation of Afghans to proceed smoothly, many processes must be completed," adding, "(Evacuating 22,000 locals) will realistically be a challenging task."

Moreover, there have been repeated reports of physical violence such as harassment and beatings at Taliban checkpoints set up during Afghans’ movement to the airport.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Taliban has established checkpoints throughout Kabul to identify Afghans who cooperated with U.S. forces and is conducting surprise inspections of citizens.

According to the report, the Taliban frequently checks pedestrians’ mobile phones to verify whether they contain contacts of government officials or messages exchanged in English. Foreign media also reported that citizens who do not comply with inspections are subjected to assault or denied passage through checkpoints.

In addition, human rights organizations criticized that with over 80,000 SIV-eligible individuals currently in Afghanistan, the U.S. government’s plan to evacuate approximately 22,000 locals is far too limited to cover all SIV recipients.

On the 17th (local time), hundreds of residents gathered outside the international airport in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

A human rights activist stated, "Taliban forces are going door-to-door forcibly arresting citizens." Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of World Relief, a refugee human rights organization, said, "Due to the Taliban’s increased control, it has become extremely difficult for Afghans to leave the country."

Advisor Sullivan acknowledged this situation and said that negotiations are underway with the Taliban to resolve incidents of violence at checkpoints. He added that most citizens are passing through checkpoints without issues.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.