The Taliban will allow dozens of U.S. and other foreign citizens to leave Afghanistan on a flight to Qatar scheduled to take off from Kabul on Thursday, two sources familiar with the matter have told NBC News.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the two officials confirmed the development first reported by Reuters, saying a flight was expected to land in Doha on Thursday.
The planned departure comes amid growing fears for those who have been left behind in Afghanistan as the Taliban tightens its grip on the country in the wake of the United States’ chaotic withdrawal.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told NBC News that the militant group would not stand in the way of anyone looking to leave Afghanistan, so long as they have valid travel documents.
The flight would mark a return to international operations out of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan’s capital last month.
The U.S. saw as many as 124,000 people evacuated out of the country, including at-risk Afghans, but the Biden administration acknowledged as its evacuation efforts came to an end on August 30 that it was not able to get “everybody out that we wanted to get out.”
American officials did not comment on the reports overnight.
President Joe Biden said last week that 100 to 200 Americans “with some intention to leave” were still stranded in Afghanistan.
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The Taliban’s vow to let international flights leave Kabul comes amid warnings of a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as life-saving aid dwindles and as reports of the Taliban cracking down on dissenters and journalists grow.
Two journalists said they were beaten by militants after covering a women’s rights protest in Afghanistan’s capital.
Nemat Naqdi, 28, and Taqi Daryabi, 22, both with the Etilaatroz newspaper, were covering the protest when Taliban fighters arrested them and took them to a police station in Kabul, according to the outlet they work for.
The journalists said they were placed in separate cells before being beaten with a cable, according to Etilaatroz, with photos taken after the incident showing both Naqdi and Daryabi’s bodies covered in welts.
“Taliban authorities claimed that they would allow the media to function so long as they ‘respected Islamic values,’ but they are increasingly preventing journalists from reporting on demonstrations,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch in a statement published on Wednesday in response to reports of Naqdi and Daryabi’s treatment.
“The Taliban need to ensure that all journalists are able to carry out their work without abusive restrictions or fear of retribution,” Gossman said.
And with women marching in the streets of Kabul and resisting efforts by Taliban members to quell their protests, Clark said the Taliban is “not used to that – particularly, to having women arguing with them on the streets.”
Late Wednesday, the Taliban imposed strict restrictions on demonstrations.
While Clark said she believed that protesters are putting themselves at risk in hopes of securing broader rights under Taliban rule, she said it is unclear how the militant group will react if the demonstrations continue.
“These people are really, really brave,” she said, referring to the protesters.
Meanwhile, humanitarian groups have warned of a looming humanitarian crisis as “life-saving aid” continues to dwindle, with the World Health Organization (WHO) saying on Monday that a pause in funding for the Sehatmandi project, the “backbone of Afghanistan’s health system”, could put more than 2,000, or 90 percent of health facilities at risk of closing.
On Thursday, China announced it would be offering at least $31 million in emergency aid, including Covid-19 vaccines, to Afghanistan, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announcing the aid boost on Wednesday during a meeting with foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries.
Raf Sanchez contributed.