08/15/2021 12:45 PM
Clarín.com
World
Updated 08/15/2021 1:16 PM
The United States decided to urgently transfer
all its embassy staff
to Kabul airport after the Taliban arrived in the city.
This was confirmed this Sunday by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
"We are working to make sure
our staff is safe and secure.
We are moving the men and women from our embassy to a location at the airport," Blinken told
ABC News
.
The US Foreign Minister did not want to confirm that the building will be closed and completely abandoned, but reiterated that the "minimal diplomatic presence" that the US has decided to maintain in Kabul will operate from the airport while the rest of the personnel are evacuated from the country. .
His words came after television images showed the continuous flight of helicopters arriving and then leaving the US embassy in the capital.
The US departure was confirmed by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
According to
CNN
,
that diplomatic mission will be closed no later than Tuesday
, while the US Chargé d'Affaires in Kabul, Ross Wilson, and the rest of the essential personnel will work from the airport for an indefinite period.
Blinken defended this Sunday the decision of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, to maintain his plans for military withdrawal from Afghanistan despite the brilliant advance of the Taliban, who have initiated the siege of Kabul and are negotiating a peaceful transition of power with the Government Afghan.
But not only the United States undertook its emergency withdrawal from the city.
Other countries also decided to evacuate their diplomatic personnel due to the threatening situation.
Canada has already suspended diplomatic operations and personnel are heading to the North American nation.
Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said in a statement that the decision to suspend operations is temporary and that the embassy will reopen if security permits.
The Canadian Embassy in Kabul, also evacuated.
Photo: AFP
Meanwhile, the Italian press also reported that most of their representatives are being transferred to the airport to be evacuated.
The Corriere della Sera claimed that the measure affects
some 50 Italian employees and 30 Afghan employees and their families
, along with the Carabinieri paramilitary police that protect the embassy.
For his part, the UK ambassador to Afghanistan will be removed from the country on Monday amid fears that the Taliban may seize the airport.
According to the British press, the Foreign Office intended for Laurie Bristow and a small team of officials to remain at the airport with other international diplomats.
But the Sunday Telegraph reported that his departure was early.
The same will happen with the headquarters in France.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the transfer of his staff to the airport in the Afghan capital, although he assured that diplomatic functions will continue to be operational.
"Faced with the extremely rapid deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan, the French authorities have decided to move their embassy to the Kabul airport, which therefore
remains operational and active
to proceed in particular with the evacuation of all our compatriots who would still be in the country, "the statement said.
Lastly, Germany will send military jets to Kabul to evacuate its embassy staff on Monday, while Spain's Defense Ministry noted that it has not yet started evacuating Spanish citizens and Afghan personnel, but is accelerating its plans. .
"
Plans for the evacuation of people in Afghanistan are being accelerated to the maximum
. The details (logistics, people to evacuate) are closed, but we cannot give more details for obvious security reasons," the ministry said in a statement.
With information from EFE
Look also
Crisis in Afghanistan: Pope calls for a negotiated solution
Crisis in Afghanistan: Kabul fell and the Taliban negotiate "a peaceful surrender" of the government