Broadway

Complete News World

US media: US embassy in Kabul begins to evacuate

The process was “in full swing” and should have been completed by the latest time by Tuesday morning, a CNN broadcaster said Sunday, citing an unnamed U.S. government official.

CNN previously reported that helicopters were taking staff from the embassy to the airport. The “New York Times” also reported that the United States had begun expelling diplomatic and civilian personnel from Kabul.

The plan is to first bring consular staff to safety, followed by U.S. citizens and later holders of special immigrant visas to the United States, CNN writes. It is being explored whether people currently applying for their visas can be deported, as are Afghan nationals working at the US embassy.

A few embassy staff should be in Kabul for now. The “New York Times” quoted a senior official as saying that they would be taken to the diplomatic facility at the airport. They have to stay there indefinitely. According to CNN, the entire embassy building is to be evacuated. The Bundeswehr wants to begin the expulsion of German citizens and local Afghan staff from Kabul on Monday.

Since the US and NATO forces began to withdraw from Afghanistan in May, the extremist Islamist Taliban have recorded huge regional gains. In rapid progress they have taken over two-thirds of the country’s provincial capitals – now they have advanced to the gates of Kabul. Talks are currently underway between the Taliban and the Afghan government.