E-Paper
'Do not come to Kabul airport if...': US embassy on evacuation process
Scores of scared Afghans are flocking towards Kabul airport in a desperate bid to flee the country, overwhelming the operations and leading to unfortunate incidents.
The rush to get out of Afghanistan has led to huge crowds at the Hamid Karzai International (HKI) airport in Kabul. The operations are being handled by forces of the United States, which are on their way out of Afghanistan.
The US government has said that it will evacuate its employees before the withdrawal deadline of August 31, as well as those Afghans who helped its forces during their 20-year-long stay in the country.
Several other Nato and European Union member states are also scrambling to rescue vulnerable foreign staff and Afghan allies from Afghanistan since the Taliban overran the capital just over a week ago.
Scores of scared Afghans are flocking towards Kabul airport in a desperate bid to flee the country, overwhelming the operations and leading to unfortunate incidents.
Now, the US embassy has released a list about the people who should come to the HKI airport. It has posted the instructions on its Twitter handle too. Here is the list issued by the US embassy:
- If you are a US citizen, US lawful permanent resident, immigrant visa applicant, or are affiliated with the US government and have received specific instructions to travel to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, follow the instructions you have been given.
- If you have begun the SIV or the P1/P2 process, you will be given instructions on next steps. Please understand, however, that this process may take an extended period.
- If you are not a part of the above groups, but are seeking to leave Afghanistan and are part of an organized private effort to evacuate, please do not come to the airport until you have received specific instructions to travel to the Hamid Karzai International Airport from our flight organizer.
- If you do not have a verified invitation, you will not be allowed into the airport or on to an evacuation flight.
It also asked people who have questions or need to submit additional information to visit the State Department website or that of the US embassy in Kabul for additional details.
