US President Joe Biden has said he wants all US troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan as soon as possible ahead of the August 31 deadline.
But the President also said contingency plans were being drawn up to extend the withdrawal “should that become necessary”.
Mr Biden said his discussion with G7 leaders today had been “productive” and told reporters: “There was strong agreement among the leaders both about the evacuation mission under way as well as the need to co-ordinate our approach to Afghanistan as we move forward.
“First, on evacuation, we agreed we will continue our close co-operation to get people out as efficiently and safely as possible.
“We are currently on a pace to finish by August 31, the sooner we can finish the better. Each day of operations brings added risk to our troops, but the completion by August 31 depends upon the Taliban continuing to co-operate, allow access to the airport for those who we are transporting now, and no disruption to our operations.”
“In addition, I have asked the Pentagon and the State Department for contingency plans to adjust the timetable should that become necessary.”
Afghan passengers disembark an RAF Voyager after arriving at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
President Biden said the US and its allies, including the UK, will not take the Taliban’s word that Afghanistan will not become a base for terrorists again.
“The leaders of the EU, NATO and the UN all agree that we will stand united in our approach to the Taliban,” he said.
“We agreed the legitimacy of any future government depends on the approach it now takes to upholding their international obligations including to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base for terrorism and we agreed that none of us are going to take the Taliban’s word for it.
“We will judge them by their actions and stay in close co-ordination on any steps that we take moving forward in response to the Taliban’s behaviour.”
President Biden said US and allied forces ran the risk of attacks by ISIS affiliates and straining a “tenuous” working relationship with the Taliban if they stayed in Afghanistan longer.
The president said there were “increasing risks” for US troops and their allies staying in Afghanistan beyond August 31.
He said: “There are real and significant challenges that we also have to take into consideration the longer we stay, starting with the acute and growing risk of attack by a terrorist group known as ISISK, an ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan, which is a sworn enemy of the Taliban as well.
“Every day we are on the ground is another day we know that ISISK is seeking to target the airport and attack both US and allied forces and innocent civilians.
UK Armed Forces continue to help in the evacuation from Kabul airport in Afghanistan
(Image: LPhot Ben Shread/MoD/PA Wire)
“Additionally, thus far, the Taliban have been taking steps to work with us so we can get our people out, but as a tenuous situation – we have already had some gunfighting break out – we run a serious risk of it breaking down as time goes on.”
The US president’s press secretary has said withdrawing from Afghanistan by August 31 would see the war end “based on the achievement of US objectives”.
Jen Psaki said: “During a meeting this morning with the G7 leaders, the president conveyed that our mission in Kabul will end based on the achievement of our objectives.
“He confirmed we are currently on pace to finish by August 31 and provided an update on progress in evacuating Americans who want to come home, third-country nationals, and Afghans who were our allies during the war.
“He also made clear that with each day of operations on the ground, we have added risk to our troops with increasing threats from ISISK, and that completion of the mission by August 31 depends on continued co-ordination with the Taliban, including continued access for evacuees to the airport.
“In addition, the president has asked the Pentagon and the State Department for contingency plans to adjust the timeline should that become necessary.”
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