WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th August, 2021) The US will be engaging with the Taliban as a means to ensure the safe evacuation of people from Afghanistan following the August 31 deadline for withdrawal, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday.
"The President did direct the Secretary of State to continue diplomatic efforts with international partners to secure means for third-country nationals and Afghans with visas to leave the country even after the US military presence ends," Psaki said. "A part of that would certainly be having a coordinated approach and engagement with the Taliban."
Psaki said President Joe Biden has directed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to engage with global partners to determine what the path forward in Afghanistan will look like, adding that the international community has leverage against the Taliban.
The Washington Post earlier in the day reported that the Taliban have asked the US to keep a diplomatic footprint in Afghanistan following the August 31 withdrawal. Psaki refused to confirm or deny the report.
The report cited a source familiar with the matter who said the Taliban have requested that the United States retain a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan past the August 31 deadline for withdrawal from the country.
