Blinken: ‘They are in control of Kabul. That is the reality’
The Frontier Post
WASHINGTON DC (Ag-encies): Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a discussion about the Taliban’s role in the evacuation of Americans from A-fghanistan that U.S. offic-ials have to deal with the “r-eality” that the insurgent gr-oup is in control of Kabul.
“They are in control of Kabul. That is the reality, that’s the reality that we have to deal with,” Blinken said while appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
US officials have said there is an agreement with the Taliban to guarantee the safe passage of Americans to the Kabul airport.
Guest host Major Garrett asked Blinken how comfortable he is with the situation.
“What I’m focused on, what we’re all focused on is getting people out and making sure that we’re doing everything possible to do that. And in this case it is, I think, a requirement of the job to be in contact with, with the Taliban, which controls Kabul,” Blinken said.
Garrett also asked whether the U.S. negotiating with the Taliban gives the insurgent militant group legitimacy.
“No,” Blinken replied. “We’ve had for a long-time contact with the Taliban, both at a political level in Doha, going back some years. As well as now on the ground in Kabul, a working relationships in order to deconflict, in order to work through any problems with people getting to the airport.”
Blinken also said on Sunday that the U.S. has evacuated 8,000 people from Afghanistan in the past 24 hours and around 30,000 people since the end of July.
