US and Germany Ban Their Citizens from Traveling to Kabul Airport as Taliban Control Tightens (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] The United States has urged its citizens in Afghanistan to avoid moving to Kabul Airport due to potential security threats. Germany also advised its citizens not to go to Kabul Airport.

The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan issued a statement on the 21st (local time), saying, "Unless you have received individual instructions from authorities, we recommend that U.S. citizens avoid moving to the (Kabul) airport and avoid the airport entrances."

The embassy cited potential security threats and added, "We will contact U.S. citizens if there are changes in the security situation." It did not specify what particular threats exist.

John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, avoided detailed comments during a briefing that day, only stating that the local security situation is very fluid.

According to the Associated Press, citing a senior U.S. official, the threat is due to the possibility that the armed group Islamic State (IS) may threaten Americans in Afghanistan. Officials have not provided specific explanations about IS's threat but described it as significant, AP added.

The evacuation operation appears to be facing additional difficulties. The U.S. is deploying military aircraft to evacuate Americans and Afghan residents who have cooperated with the U.S. within Afghanistan.

John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, did not rule out the possibility of expanding U.S. military evacuation support to areas outside Kabul Airport during the briefing that day.

Currently, it is difficult for Americans and others to reach Kabul Airport amid Taliban checkpoints. So far, the U.S. has limited the evacuation support mission of its military forces to Kabul Airport.

President Joe Biden convened the White House foreign security team on Saturday to discuss counterterrorism operations, including against the Afghan branch of IS, 'IS Khorasan,' and the Afghan evacuation operation, the White House said.

The meeting included Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, CIA Director William Burns, and White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is on a Southeast Asia tour, also participated via video conference.

President Biden had originally planned to spend the weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, but canceled and remained at the White House. The U.S. Department of Defense announced in a briefing that over the past week, 17,000 people, including 2,500 Americans, were evacuated from Kabul.

In the past 24 hours, military aircraft C-17s and chartered planes were flown 38 times to evacuate 3,800 people. The U.S. goal is to evacuate up to 9,000 people per day, but it still falls far short of the target.

The German Embassy also sent an email that day advising its citizens not to go to Kabul Airport, stating that Taliban control is becoming increasingly strict.

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