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The Taliban were forced to allow U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad to leave.
An American official said that after the new Taliban government agreed to withdraw, the 2,000 Americans and other foreigners remaining in Afghanistan will leave the war-torn country on a chartered flight from Kabul on Thursday.
Since the organization occupied the capital Kabul in mid-August, these flights will be one of the first international flights to take off from Kabul Airport, triggering a chaotic evacuation of 124,000 foreigners and Afghans in danger, led by the United States.
The move came two days after the Taliban announced a provisional government composed mainly of Pashtun men, which dashed international hopes for a more moderate government.
The U.S. official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters that the Taliban were forced to allow U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad to leave.
The official was unable to explain whether American civilians and other foreigners were among those stranded in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif for several days because their private chartered plane was not allowed to leave.
The Taliban’s announcement of the formation of a new government on Tuesday was widely seen as a signal that they did not intend to expand the base because they had stated that they would do so before the military takeover.
On Wednesday, foreign countries greeted the interim government with caution and frustration. In Kabul, dozens of women took to the streets to protest.
Blinken denies that the Taliban are preventing U.S. citizens from leaving
Many critics call on the leadership to respect basic human rights and revitalize the economy. As countries seek to isolate the Taliban, the economy is facing collapse due to sharp inflation, food shortages and the prospect of cuts in foreign aid.
The EU expressed opposition to these appointments, but expressed its readiness to continue to provide humanitarian assistance. Long-term assistance will depend on whether the Taliban maintain basic freedoms.
Saudi Arabia expressed the hope that the new government can help Afghanistan achieve “security and stability, and reject violence and extremism.”
Analysts say that the composition of the cabinet may hinder Western government recognition, which is essential for broader economic participation.
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