skynews– United States and Germany officials are advising their citizens, waiting to flee the Taliban takeover, to avoid travelling to Kabul airport “because of potential security threats”.
The US embassy in Afghanistan issued a security alert on Saturday, advising US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport unless they receive individual instructions to do so.
“Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a US government representative to do so,” the statement said.
The German embassy also advised its citizens not to go to the airport, warning in an email the Taliban was conducting increasingly strict controls around the airport.
On Saturday morning (local time), US President Joe Biden met with his national security team to discuss the security situation in Afghanistan, the White House announced.
“This morning, the President met with his national security team to discuss the security situation in Afghanistan, counterterrorism operations, evacuation efforts, and intensive diplomatic efforts to finalize agreements with additional third-party country transit hubs,” the White House tweeted.
A Taliban official told Reuters security risks could not be ruled out, but the group was “aiming to improve the situation and provide a smooth exit” for people trying to leave over the weekend.
The US has evacuated approximately 17,000 people since August 14, and 22,000 people since the end of July.
In the last 24 hours, 6 US Military C-17s and 32 charters, with a total of 3,800 passengers departed Kabul.
