President Biden on Saturday discussed counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan with his national security team, as the U.S. embassy warned Americans not to go to Kabul airport “because of possible security threats “.
The big picture: The president and his national security advisers “discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and counterterrorism operations, including ISIS-K,” a White House official said.
- In addition to evacuation efforts, the national security team also “discussed aggressive efforts to finalize agreements with transit centers in additional countries,” according to the official.
- The Biden administration announced on Friday that its evacuation flights from Kabul could now land across the Middle East and Europe, as Qatar has reached its capacity, causing temporary flights to be halted.
- Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who joined by secure videoconference en route to Singapore, met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and other senior officials .
Leading the news: The U.S. embassy guidelines come a day after Biden reiterated his commitment to consider “every opportunity and every means” to get Americans and Afghan allies through the Taliban checkpoints and reach the airport.
- “Due to possible security threats outside the gates of Kabul airport, we advise U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid the airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from ‘a representative of the U.S. government to do so,’ according to the embassy’s guidance.
- On Friday, Biden said his administration has been in “constant contact” with the Taliban to “ensure that civilians have a safe passage at the airport.”
- “We have made it clear to the Taliban that any attack, attack on our forces or interruption of our operations at the airport will have a rapid and forceful response.”
- The White House he said Saturday before that “in the last 24 hours, 6 U.S. military C-17s and 32 charters departed from Kabul. The total number of passengers on these 38 flights is approximately 3,800.”
- Approximately 17,000 people have been evacuated since August 14.
Why it’s important: Biden promised on Friday that “this evacuation mission is dangerous,” adding, “It involves risks to our armed forces and is being carried out in difficult circumstances.”
- But critics and some journalists saw the commander-in-chief’s comments as an inaccurate picture of the continued chaos on the ground.
What’s more: Taliban political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul on Saturday to meet with senior militant group leaders on the formation of his new government.
- It is not yet clear who will lead what militants call the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as president, but Baradar is widely seen as the public face of the movement.
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