The White House on Tuesday said 98% of Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan were able to do so, and President Joe Biden affirmed that the United States remained committed to helping the remaining 100 to 200 U.S. citizens who had some intention to leave.
Speaking at the White House, Biden told reporters that most of those people were dual citizens and longtime residents, who had earlier decided to stay in the country given their family roots in Afghanistan.
"For those remaining Americans there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out," Biden said.
In his remarks, he noted that 90% of Americans who were in Afghanistan and wanted to leave were able to leave. The White House later updated a transcript of his remarks to show that the correct figure was 98%.
He said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was leading continued diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for any American, Afghan partner or foreign national who wanted to leave Afghanistan after the Aug. 15 takeover by the Islamist Taliban.
Biden said the international community would hold Taliban leaders accountable for their promise to permit freedom of travel.
"The Taliban has made public commitments, broadcast on television and radio across Afghanistan, on safe passage for anyone wanting to leave, including those who worked alongside Americans," he said. "We don't take them by their word alone, but by their actions, and we have leverage to make sure those commitments are met."
Biden said the U.S. government had reached out 19 times to Americans in Afghanistan since March, offering to help them leave the country.
After the U.S. military-led evacuations began 17 days ago, U.S. officials reached out again and identified around 5,000 Americans who had decided earlier to stay, but now wanted to leave, he said.
In the end, the president said, more than 5,500 Americans were evacuated, along with thousands of citizens and diplomats from allied countries, as well as 2,500 locally employed staff at the U.S. embassy and their families, and thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters and others who supported the United States.
Reuters
Wed Sep 01 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Afghanistan during a speech in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 31, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
AWANI 7:45 [17/09/2024] - Definasi halal semakin berkembang | Tiada sejarah ke luar negara | Ibu bapa sudah dikenal pasti | Jumlah mangsa meningkat
#AWANI745 malam ini bersama Essan Yahya;
1. Sijl halal bukan lagi soal babi dan alkohol, kata PM
2. Kes terbaharu mpox di Malaysia
3. 392 kanak-kanak jadi mangsa GISBH, ada ibu bapa enggan akui anak
4. Banjir di Kedah dan Pulau Pinang semakin memburuk
1. Sijl halal bukan lagi soal babi dan alkohol, kata PM
2. Kes terbaharu mpox di Malaysia
3. 392 kanak-kanak jadi mangsa GISBH, ada ibu bapa enggan akui anak
4. Banjir di Kedah dan Pulau Pinang semakin memburuk
AWANI Ringkas: Tujuh PPS dibuka di Pulau Pinang
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
AWANI Tonight: 17 Sept 2024
#AWANITonight with @fayekwan_
1. MOH reports first Mpox case of 2024
2. Social media: Should M’sia implement stricter rules for children?
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
1. MOH reports first Mpox case of 2024
2. Social media: Should M’sia implement stricter rules for children?
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
AWANI Tonight: Tupperware Brands set to file for bankruptcy
Tupperware Brands is preparing to file for bankruptcy after a year-long effort to revive the business, as it faces mounting debt and a sharp decline in demand for its once iconic plastic containers.
AWANI Tonight: Should M'sia implement stricter controls for children on social media?
Dr Benjamin Loh from Taylor's University shares his insights about the necessity for setting a minimum age limit for children to use social media in Malaysia.
LLB beri amaran jangan hampiri pantai, R&R Bagan Ajam
Gabungan air pasang besar berserta hujan lebat dan ribut menyebabkan fenomena ombak besar yang menghempas kawasan tepi laut Pulau Pinang terutama di sekitar Pantai Bersih.
Banjir di Kedah semakin memburuk, bilangan mangsa cecah 1,018 orang
Situasi banjir di Kedah makin memburuk selepas bilangan mangsa mencecah 1,018 orang daripada 268 keluarga yang ditempatkan di 11 pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) di negeri ini.
PM mahu persediaan mantap dilakukan menjelang kepengerusian ASEAN 2025
Perdana Menteri berkata Malaysia perlu menjadi peneraju hebat dengan menyusun pelbagai program yang benar-benar memberi kesan mendalam kepada komuniti ASEAN secara keseluruhannya.
PM Anwar ulangi komitmen Malaysia jayakan Agenda 2030 untuk pembangunan mampan
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini mengulangi komitmen Malaysia dalam menjayakan Agenda 2030 untuk pembangunan mampan seperti yang dimeterai bersama 192 negara lain pada 2015.
Bunuh: Dua buruh kasar terlepas hukuman mati, diganti penjara 30 tahun
Panel hakim menolak rayuan A.Rames dan Tew Siew Kem untuk mengetepikan sabitan terhadap mereka dan menggantikan hukuman mati dengan penjara.
Kyrgyzstan keluarkan Taliban daripada senarai organisasi pengganas
Kyrgyzstan mengeluarkan Taliban daripada senarai organisasi yang diharamkan, menurut Kementerian Luar Kyrgyz pada Jumaat, lapor Xinhua.
Afghanistan siap sedia sambut Aidiladha meski berdepan cabaran ekonomi
Kadar pengangguran dan kemiskinan yang tinggi mengurangkan kuasa beli rakyat Afghanistan secara drastik, menyukarkan mereka untuk melaksanakan ibadah korban.
Tehran dakwa penjajahan asing sebagai punca utama masalah Afghanistan
Punca masalah dan cabaran Afghanistan ialah pendudukan negara itu sebelum ini dan kurangnya perhatian terhadap pembangunan ekonominya oleh bekas penjajah.
Pilihan raya Pakistan: Perkhidmatan rangkaian mudah alih digantung, sempadan ditutup
Pihak berkuasa Pakistan menggantung perkhidmatan mudah alih dan menutup sempadan dengan negara jiran Afghanistan dan Iran selepas insiden pengeboman.
150,000 wanita dan sektor kesihatan, hak tidak diabaikan - Menteri Kesihatan Awam Afghanistan
Seramai 150,000 wanita berkhidmat dalam sektor kesihatan Afghanistan ketika ini dengan pelbagai cabang kepakaran.
Afghanistan ketika ini 100 peratus aman - Menteri Kesihatan Awam Afghanistan
Situasi di Afghanistan jauh lebih baik berbanding 20 tahun lalu yang menyaksikan ratusan orang maut akibat peperangan.
Afghanistan perlu raih semula penghormatan untuk membangun - Penganalisis
Afghanistan perlu memecahkan persepsi negatif terhadap negaranya dan meraih semula penghormatan komuniti antarabangsa untuk membangun.
Genosid di Gaza hancurkan 'kredibiliti' pertubuhan dunia - Afghanistan
Afghanistan mengutuk sekeras-kerasnya rejim Israel itu kerana meneruskan pengeboman yang membunuh ratusan rakyat Palestin sejak jeda kemanusiaan tamat pada Jumaat.
Gempa bumi landa barat laut Afghanistan, 100 cedera
Sekurang-kurangnya 100 orang cedera selepas satu lagi gempa bumi kuat berukuran 6.3 pada skala Richter menggegarkan barat laut Afghanistan pada Ahad.
80 cedera dalam gempa bumi kuat di Afghanistan
Menurut penduduk tempatan, kebanyakan mangsa yang cedera telah dibawa ke hospital.