32 US Citizens and Permanent Residents Evacuated from Afghanistan

Foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, Canada, and others are boarding a Qatar Airways passenger plane while evacuating from Kabul International Airport, the capital of Afghanistan. (Kabul AFP=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The White House announced that 32 U.S. citizens and permanent residents evacuated from Afghanistan on the 10th (local time).

Emily Horne, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), said that 21 U.S. citizens and 11 permanent residents left Afghanistan that day. The previous day, foreign evacuations via civilian aircraft took place in Afghanistan. This was the first aircraft evacuation since the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan at the end of last month, including 10 U.S. citizens and 11 permanent residents. On the 6th, for the first time after the completion of the Afghanistan withdrawal, four U.S. citizens evacuated by land.

Spokesperson Horne said that the successful evacuation demonstrated how the U.S. provides clear and safe options for Americans to leave Afghanistan from other locations. She added that some citizens did not use the options provided by the government, stating, "We understand that this is a difficult decision," and that evacuation efforts will continue.

Meanwhile, foreign media reported that flights evacuating to the U.S. from Germany's Ramstein Air Base and Qatar Airport, which have been used as transit airports in the process of bringing Afghans who helped the U.S. during the Afghanistan war to the U.S., have been suspended.

White House spokesperson Jen Psaki explained that four Afghans who recently arrived in the U.S. were diagnosed with measles, and in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirements and as a precaution, flights to the U.S. were temporarily suspended.

Psaki added that Afghans arriving in the U.S. are being vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella, and that options for vaccination overseas before arrival in the U.S. are also being explored.

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