The U.S. Embassy urged all US citizens to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options. Given the security conditions and reduced staffing, the Embassy’s ability to assist U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited even within Kabul, a statement read.
The U.S. Embassy can provide a repatriation loan for U.S. citizens who cannot afford at this time to purchase a commercial ticket to the United States, the statement added. The Travel Advisory for Afghanistan remains Level 4-Do Not Travel due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict, and COVID-19. Domestic flights and ground transportation routes outside of Kabul are severely limited and subject to cancellation or closure.
Also, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advised against all travel to Afghanistan. It said that all British nationals in Afghanistan are advised to leave now by commercial means. “The level of consular assistance the British Embassy can provide in Afghanistan is extremely limited, including in a crisis. Staff from the British Embassy will not be able to travel outside of Kabul due to the security situation. Travel by road throughout the country, but particularly outside the capital Kabul, is extremely dangerous,” the statement sad.
On the other hand, the Taliban has allegedly removed Nishan Sahib, a Sikh religious flag, from a gurdwara in the Paktia province in eastern Afghanistan. Nishan Sahib was taken off from the roof of Gurdwara Thala Sahib in the Chamkani area of the Paktia province, according to images being tweeted on social media. However, Hindustan Times, an Indian daily, has not been able to independently verify whether Nishan Sahib was removed from the historical gurdwara, which was once visited by the founder Sikh religion Guru Nanak.
Also, Afghanistan’s ambassador to China told Reuters, that the Taliban cannot be trusted to keep their promise to China not to harbour Islamist militants seeking separatism in its Xinjiang region. The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, and a surge in fighting as Taliban insurgents gain territory, raise concerns for China, which worries that more instability in the region will disrupt its Belt and Road plan for infrastructure and energy links to the west and embolden separatists to destabilize its far western Xinjiang region.
While the meetings are likely to focus on the reconciliation process in Doha, where the Intra-Afghan dialogue has hit an impasse, New Delhi is also expected to point out that despite being regional powers, neither India nor Iran had been included yet in the meetings of the “Troika Plus” grouping of U.S.-Russia-China and Pakistan, due to be held in Doha on August 11. Both India and Iran have stressed on the “legitimacy” of the democratically-elected Ghani government in Afghanistan.
