Blinken, Qatari FM discuss Afghanistan

Qatar is hosting talks between Taliban and Western officials. The country holds influence over the group. Qatar, which hosts a major US airbase, has been the gateway for 55000 people airlifted out of Afghanistan.

Washington (US): US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan on Sunday local time.

Secretary Blinken thanked Qatar for its strong partnership on regional security issues and assistance to safely transit U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and Afghans at risk, US State Department said.

"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani about Afghanistan. Secretary Blinken thanked Qatar for its strong partnership on regional security issues and assistance to safely transit U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and Afghans at risk," the state department's readout read.

Qatar is hosting talks between Taliban and Western officials. The country holds influence over the group. Qatar, which hosts a major US airbase, has been the gateway for 55000 people airlifted out of Afghanistan.

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The Qatar foreign minister said the only way forward is to offer the current Taliban administration "more collaboration, cooperation and assistance" but that Afghanistan should move towards an inclusive government in an internal process whereby Afghans "decide their future".

Meanwhile, the US media had also informed that Washington intends to resume evacuation flights from Afghanistan by the end of this year.

After the Taliban's hostile takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, hundreds of people rushed to the airport, which resulted in several days of chaos. As foreigners and Afghans who helped foreign forces were striving to leave, the airport was shaken by terrorist attacks organized by a local affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group, Sputnik reported.

(ANI)