Taliban allows safe passage out of Afghanistan to all foreign nationals and Afghans

Yesterday, a hundred countries stated that they had obtained guarantees from the Taliban that all foreigners and Afghans with visas would be permitted to leave Afghanistan, under an agreement that would last until the conclusion of the upcoming American pullout on Tuesday.

“We have obtained guarantees from the Taliban that every foreigner and Afghan citizen with travel authorization given by our States would be permitted to move securely and methodically to the ports of departure and to exit the country,” the US, Germany, France, and the UK stated.

“We all commit to ensure that our citizens, including residents, Afghan personnel who have worked with us, and those in danger, are allowed to freely move out of Afghanistan,” the joint declaration stated.

States confirmed that “certain Afghans would continue to get travel passports,” noting that they had “Taliban commitments (ensuring) their ability to travel to all of our States.”

“We have taken notice of the Taliban’s public comments confirming this understanding,” the declaration continues, which was also signed by the European Union and NATO.

The document was not signed by China or Russia.

American citizens who want to stay in Afghanistan, according to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, “shall not be trapped in Afghanistan.”

“If they want to return in the future, we’ll make sure there’s a procedure to get them out of the country,” he said, adding that “the Taliban have promises in this respect.”

According to French President Emmanuel Macron, who told “Le Journal du Dimanche” that the plan is “completely verifiable,” France and the United Kingdom want to ask the United Nations for a safe zone that will allow humanitarian operations to continue.