Taliban assured 'safe and orderly' continued departures: 100-nation group

Washington: A group of 100 nations on Sunday released a statement saying that the Taliban has assured them that it will continue allowing foreigners and Afghans with foreign travel papers to leave the country "in a safe and orderly manner", reports Agence France-Presse. The group of nations which include the United States, Britain, France and Germany while China and Russia didn't.

The statement which was also signed by the European Union and NATO said that the nations are committed to ensuring that their citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with them, and those at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan.

It further said that the nations would continue issuing travel documents to "designated Afghans" and added that they have the clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that those who wish could travel to their respective countries.

Earlier on Sunday, Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor to the US President, said that any American who wishes to remain would not be stuck in Afghanistan. The US has a mechanism to rescue them if they choose to leave in the future. The Taliban is committed to the US, he said.

Meanwhile, France and Britain demanded before United Nations to create a 'safe Zone' in Kabul to keep running humanitarian operations. French President Emmanuel Macron told the media that such a proposal was utterly feasible. France ended its evacuation run in Afghanistan on Friday while Britain on Saturday. The US will be done with their efforts on August 31.

Also, the permanent members of the UN Security Council- the US, Britain, China, France and Russia would meet on Monday to discuss the Afghan crisis.