The Taliban on Tuesday urged skilled Afghans not to flee the country and asked America to stop taking “Afghan experts” such as engineers and doctors out of Kabul, as US-led troops have ramped up operations to evacuate tens of thousands of people including many Afghans on a daily basis.
“This country needs their expertise. They should not be taken to other countries,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a press conference in the capital Kabul.
Britain’s Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said earlier it was “unlikely” evacuations from Afghanistan would be extended beyond August 31.
A spokesman for the Taliban on Monday warned that the hardline Islamist group would not agree to any extension, calling the issue a “red line”, with any delay viewed as “extending occupation”.
“If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations — the answer is no. Or there would be consequences,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Sky News.
Britain has continued to evacuate Western citizens and some Afghans from the capital, with Wallace warning the security situation was getting “more and more dangerous” as August 31 approaches.
The defence ministry said 8,458 people have been evacuated by the UK since August 13, with nine military flights leaving Kabul in the last 24 hours.
More than half — 5,171 — are Afghans eligible to relocate to Britain under its programme to protect those who aided its military and civilian officials during their two-decade involvement in Afghanistan.
