The United States has suspended its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan and will conduct its operations out of Qatar, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, adding Washington will press ahead with its "relentless" efforts to help people leave the country, even after its troops have pulled out.
Antony Blinken reportedly delivered remarks on August 30 following talks on the situation in Afghanistan, at the State Department in Washington.
The U.S. top diplomat, in particular, noted that more than 123,000 people, including about 6,000 American citizens, have been safely flown out of Afghanistan.
“This has been a massive military, diplomatic, and humanitarian undertaking – one of the most difficult in our nation’s history – and an extraordinary feat of logistics and coordination under some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable,” he noted.
“As of today, we have suspended our diplomatic presence in Kabul, and transferred our operations to Doha, Qatar, which will soon be formally notified to Congress. Given the uncertain security environment and political situation in Afghanistan, it was the prudent step to take,” Mr. Blinken noted.
“For the time being, we will use this post in Doha to manage our diplomacy with Afghanistan, including consular affairs, administering humanitarian assistance, and working with allies, partners, and regional and international stakeholders to coordinate our engagement and messaging to the Taliban,” he said. .
Mr. Binken further noted that they would continue their relentless efforts to help Americans, foreign nationals, and Afghans leave Afghanistan if they choose.
