Afghan Provisional Government Formed By Taliban Allows Exit Foreigners, Including 200 Americans

Illustration of the evacuation of civilians using military aircraft from Kabul airport, Afghanistan. (Twitter/@DeptofDefense)

JAKARTA - Afghanistan's interim government formed by the Taliban has allowed foreigners to leave the country, including about 200 US citizens.

If nothing goes wrong, some 200 Americans and other foreigners still in Afghanistan will leave the country on chartered flights from Kabul this Thursday, with the approval of Afghanistan's interim government created by the Taliban.

The departure will be one of the first international flights to take off from Kabul airport since the Taliban seized the capital in mid-August, prompting the evacuation of 124,000 foreigners and Afghans at risk.

The move came two days after the Taliban announced an Afghan interim government of mostly Pashtun men, including several controversial figures, dashing international hopes for a more moderate government.

The Taliban were pressured to allow the departure by US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad, said the US official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The official could not say whether US civilians and other foreign nationals were among those stranded for days in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif because the plane they were chartering had not been granted a flight permit.

The Taliban's announcement of a new government on Tuesday was widely seen as a signal that they did not want to expand their base and present a more tolerant face to the world, as they had suggested before the takeover.

Foreign countries welcomed the interim government with caution and dismay. Many critics called on leaders to respect human rights and revive an economy, which is facing collapse amid sharp inflation, food shortages, and the prospect of cutting foreign aid as countries seek to isolate the Taliban.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said no one in President Joe Biden's Administration would suggest respecting the Taliban and valuing them as members of the global community.

Meanwhile, the European Union voiced its disapproval of the appointment but said it was ready to resume humanitarian assistance. Long-term assistance will depend on the Taliban upholding basic freedoms.