US to Keep Diplomatic Presence at Kabul Airport ‘as Long as It Is Safe’
Voice of America
WASHINGTON - The United States will maintain a diplomatic presence at Kabul international airport while speeding up the evacuation of thousands of Afghans eligible for U.S. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and expanding refugee access to Afghans who work for U.S. news agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
On Monday, the State Department also asked Americans to shelter in place and to not travel to the Kabul airport. The deteriorating security situation across Afghanistan has prompted civilians to flock to the airport. “We are going to maintain a diplomatic presence in Kabul for as long as it is safe and responsible for us to do so,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Monday in a briefing. Since Sunday night, all U.S. Embassy personnel have been relocated to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, whose perimeter is secured by the U.S. military, he said.
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