Poland halts Afghan airlift over safety as US deadline looms
‘We cannot risk the lives of our diplomats and of our soldiers any longer,’ says deputy foreign minister, as evacuation chaos continues.
According to an official, Poland has ended its evacuations from Afghanistan, making it one of the first Western countries to suspend operations assisting people escaping the Taliban control as the United States prepares to leave the country completely.
A group taken from Kabul and presently in Uzbekistan, according to Marcin Przydacz, a Polish deputy foreign minister, was the last group evacuated by Poland.
President Joe Biden announced the day before that he will meet his August 31 goal for completing the US departure, placing even more pressure on the already dangerous airlift from Kabul to evacuate as many people out as possible in the following days.
European allies pressed for extra time but were unsuccessful, and they may be forced to stop their evacuations a few days before the last American troops leave.
The Taliban wrested back control of Afghanistan nearly 20 years after they were removed in a US-led invasion following the 9/11 attacks.
Their return to power has pushed many Afghans to flee, fearing reprisal attacks from the fighters or a return to the brutal rule they imposed when they last ran the country.
The Taliban have insisted the airlift must end on August 31.
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