The Biden administration has asked three Central Asian nations to temporarily house some 9,000 Afghan citizens who worked with the U.S. as they look to flee the Taliban before NATO forces withdraw by September 11, according to two people familiar with the discussions, Bloomberg reported on July 2.
The U.S. has reportedly asked Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to take in the Afghans who assisted with the American military’s invasion and occupation of the country before the completion of the withdrawal, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.
The agreement would be part of a broader deal to establish further cooperation with Central Asian countries concerning Afghanistan.
The Uzbek and Tajik foreign ministers are in Washington this week, and the sides are discussing an accord that would allow the U.S. to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations from their territory, one of the people said, according to Bloomberg.
It comes as the Associated Press reported unnamed U.S. officials saying America’s military has left Bagram Airfield — the heart of its war to expel the Taliban — and handed it to Afghan defense forces, who are struggling to stop the Taliban militants from taking more territory. The Taliban movement now controls half of the country’s 400 districts.
Afghan leaders have warmed of an imminent civil war or the collapse of the government once all foreign forces withdraw.
