100-200 Citizens Still Retained In Afghanistan, President Biden: We Are Committed To Getting Them Out

Evacuation at Kabul airport, Afghanistan. (Twitter @DeptofDefense)

JAKARTA - The President of the United States (US) Joe Biden promised to continue releasing his citizens who are still detained in Afghanistan, after the August 31 deadline passed yesterday, with 100-200 US citizens still not out of the country.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said 90 percent of Americans who want to leave Afghanistan can do so. Speaking at the White House, President Biden told reporters most of the people still in Afghanistan are dual nationals and long-time residents, who previously decided to stay in the country because of their family roots in Afghanistan.

"The bottom line is 90 percent of Americans who are in Afghanistan and want to leave, can leave. For the remaining Americans there is no deadline. We remain committed to getting them out if they want to leave," President Biden said.

President Biden further explained that Secretary of State Antony Blinken is leading continued diplomatic efforts, to ensure safe passage for any US citizen, Afghan partner or foreign national wishing to leave Afghanistan after the August 15 takeover by the Taliban.

President Biden said the international community would hold Taliban leaders accountable for their promise to allow freedom of travel.

"The Taliban have made a public commitment, broadcast on television and radio across Afghanistan, to a safe path for anyone wishing to leave, including those working alongside Americans," he said.

"We don't think of them just by their words, but by their actions, and we have leverage to ensure that commitment is fulfilled," President Biden continued.

In addition, President Biden said the US Government had attempted to reach Americans in Afghanistan 19 times since March, offering to help them leave the country.

After the US military-led evacuation began 17 days ago, Washington officials contacted again and identified some 5,000 Americans who had previously decided to stay but now wanted to leave, President Biden said.

In the end, more than 5,500 Americans were evacuated, along with thousands of nationals and diplomats from allied countries, as well as 2,500 local staff employed at U.S. embassies and their families, and thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters and others supporting the United States, according to President Biden.