WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd August, 2021) The United States will provide a prompt and "forceful" response to the Taliban (designated terrorist by the UN and Russia) in case the radical group hinders evacuations of Americans from the Kabul airport, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told NBC news.
"If in the end Americans are blocked from getting to the airport, blocked from leaving the country or our operations are disrupted or our evacuations are in some way interfered with, we have explained to them [the Taliban] that there will be a swift and forceful response," Sullivan warned.
The US, the official noted, is unaware of the precise number of Americans remaining in Afghanistan.
"We know that it's roughly a few thousands," Sullivan said.
He explained that many Americans did not register upon their arrival in Afghanistan, therefore it is complicated now to figure out how many US nationals are still in the Central Asian country.
At the moment, Washington is working on giving directives on the relatively safe ways of getting to the airport to those nationals who are still in Afghanistan, according to Sullivan.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan last week and caused the civilian government to fall. The development prompted thousands of Afghans to try to leave the country. Many countries have begun evacuating their diplomatic missions and citizens from Afghanistan.
