Qatar Airways carries nearly 30 Americans out of Afghanistan
Sep 18, 2021
Washington [US], September 19 : The US State Department on Saturday announced that nearly 30 more Americans were evacuated from Afghanistan via a Qatar Airways charter flight.
"We can confirm that a Qatar Airways charter flight departed from Kabul yesterday with 28 US citizens and seven lawful permanent residents on board. We are grateful to Qatari authorities, who continue to coordinate these flights with us," said State Department spokesperson Ned Price.
The announcement comes as the US seeks to evacuate approximately 100 remaining American citizens who stayed in Afghanistan following the US's full withdrawal of troops on August 31, reported The Hill.
Price emphasized that the State Department will continue helping Americans and Afghans affiliated with the US government who wish to leave Afghanistan.
"The international community welcomes the Taliban's cooperation on these flights, and we will continue our engagement so that US citizens and Afghans enjoy full freedom of movement," Price said.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, said Friday on Twitter that more Americans were able to leave on a Qatar Airways flight but didn't say how many were on the plane, reported The Hill.
The administration hasn't specified how many US citizens are still looking to leave Afghanistan, but officials have said it was around 100.
The White House said on September 10 that 21 American citizens and were evacuated from Afghanistan. Nineteen of those citizens were evacuated on a Qatar Airways flight, and two additional citizens travelled an overland route with 11 lawful permanent residents.
The day before, the administration said that 10 American citizens and 11 US permanent residents were evacuated on a separate Qatar Airways flight, reported The Hill.
