US praises Qatar for support in evacuating people from Afghanistan

DOHA: US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, who is in Qatar along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to coordinate evacuation from Kabul, thanked Qatar for its support in evacuating thousands of people from Afghanistan.

Blinken and Austin have also held discussions with the allies in the region including Turkey, to build a consensus on the responses the countries should take in the changing face of the Taliban.

Praising Qatar for its wholehearted support at a press conference in Doha, Austin said that Qatar's generosity helped to save thousands of lives.

Blinken said that the US will operate chartered flights to lift remaining Americans and Afghans whose lives are at high risk in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Taliban officials are reported to have assured the US that it will allow people with valid travel documents to leave the country.

Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said his country hoped that Kabul airport would be up and running for passengers in the next few days, but that no agreement on how to run it had yet been reached.

Qatar has been working with Turkey and the United States on restoring operations at Kabul airport. Sheikh Mohammed said the airport will require an upgrade in equipment.