LONDON (AFP) — The Taliban must "guarantee" safe passage for those
fleeing Afghanistan beyond the current August 31, evacuation deadline, the G7
agreed Tuesday, according to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
اضافة اعلان
Johnson, who convened the emergency meeting, said that he and his colleagues
had agreed "a roadmap for the way in which we're going to engage with the
Taliban" in the future.
But he added that the "number one condition" was "to
guarantee ... through August 31 and beyond, a safe passage for those who want
to come out."
The UK chaired the emergency talks among the group of wealthy countries on
Tuesday, saying it would urge Biden to extend his August 31, deadline to pull
American forces out of Afghanistan.
France also called on Washington to push back the timeline.
However, Biden decided after the G7 talks that he would stick to the
deadline, US media reported.
Britain's Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said earlier Tuesday it was "unlikely"
evacuations from Afghanistan would be extended beyond August 31.
A spokesman for the Taliban on Monday warned that the hardline Islamist
group would not agree to any
extension, calling the issue a "red
line," with any delay viewed as "extending occupation".
"If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations —
the answer is no. Or there would be consequences," Taliban spokesman
Suhail Shaheen told Sky News.
'Next phase'
Britain has continued to evacuate Western citizens and some Afghans from the
capital, with Wallace warning the security situation was getting "more and
more dangerous" as August 31 approaches.
The defense ministry said 8,458 people have been evacuated by the UK since
August 13, with nine military flights leaving Kabul in the last 24 hours.
More than half — 5,171 — are Afghans eligible to relocate to Britain under
its program to protect those who aided its military and civilian officials
during their two-decade involvement in Afghanistan.
An individual on the UK's no-fly anti-terrorism watchlist arrived as part of
the evacuation, the interior ministry confirmed.
A spokesman said the individual was identified "as part of the rigorous
checks process" and that after further investigation was deemed "not
a person of interest to the security agencies or law enforcement."
The G7 leaders also agreed that the Taliban will be "held accountable
for their actions on preventing terrorism, on human rights in particular those
of women, girls, and minorities and on pursuing an inclusive political
settlement in Afghanistan," according to a statement issued by Johnson's
Downing Street office.
Britain currently chairs the G7, which also comprises Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States.
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