US urges Taliban to allow safe passage of Afghans to airport after reports claiming otherwise

United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Wednesday, August 19, that the US is urging the Taliban to allow Afghan citizens to flee the country as they assured, following reports that the Taliban isn't doing so, reported AFP.

Wendy Sherman told reporters that: "We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport."

She added that military officials in Kabul and US diplomats in Doha "are engaging directly with the Taliban to make clear that we expect them to allow all American citizens, all third-country nationals and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment."

"The State Department has been working around the clock to respond to an enormously challenging and fluid situation," said Sherman, referring to the evacuation of U.S personnel, citizens and 'thousands of Afghans' from the country.

While the Taliban is allowing US citizens to travel to the airport as promised, Sherman said that the US seeks assurance that "everybody who is trying to get to the airport" is allowed safe passage. "The Taliban are hoping to create a government in Afghanistan. They seek legitimacy. We are all watching their actions," she said.

According to the Associated Press, the Taliban has imposed curfews and checkpoints in the country which causes obstacles for people that are trying to reach the airport in order to leave the country whose government was overthrown by the Taliban. The airport is still controlled by the U.S. There are U.S.-run evacuation processing points currently within the airport.

The airport was secured by the US military so as to ensure safe passage for US citizens as well as other vulnerable people following the Taliban takeover of the country.