The Latest: Top Republican says Taliban holding Americans

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The apical Republican connected the House Foreign Affairs Committee says immoderate Americans who person been trying to get retired of Afghanistan since the U.S. subject near are sitting successful airplanes astatine an airdrome acceptable to permission but the Taliban are not letting them instrumentality off.

Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas says determination are six airplanes astatine the Mazar-e-Sharif airdrome with American citizens connected board, on with their Afghan interpreters, and the Taliban are “holding them hostage” close now.

A idiosyncratic astatine the Mazar-e-Sharif airdrome confirmed respective craft helium believes were chartered by the U.S. are parked astatine the airport. Taliban person prevented them from leaving, saying they wanted to cheque the documents of those connected board, galore of whom bash not person passports oregon visas. The airdrome authoritative did not privation to beryllium identified due to the fact that of the sensitivity of the subject.

McCaul, speaking connected “Fox News Sunday,” says the Taliban person made demands. He gave nary specifics but said he’s disquieted “They’re going to request much and more, whether it beryllium currency oregon legitimacy arsenic the authorities of Afghanistan.”

He said the craft person been astatine the airdrome for “the past mates days.”

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

— Over 24 hours successful Kabul, brutality, trauma, moments of grace

— US: Afghan evacuees who neglect archetypal screening Kosovo-bound

— Rescue groups: US tally misses hundreds near successful Afghanistan

— US expects to admit much than 50,000 evacuated Afghans

— Afghan women request rights arsenic Taliban question recognition

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— Find much AP sum astatine https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

BERLIN — Germany’s chancellor says the state indispensable prosecute with the Taliban successful bid to assistance evacuate Afghans who had worked for them.

Angela Merkel told reporters connected Sunday that “we simply person to speech to the Taliban astir however we tin get the radical who utilized to enactment for Germany retired of the state and to safety.” She added: “They are the ones 1 needs to speech to now.”

She said it was besides successful Germany’s involvement to enactment planetary assistance organizations who are helping amended the humanitarian conditions successful Afghanistan. She called it a bully awesome that the airdrome successful Kabul was re-opened, allowing aesculapian assistance into the state again.

Some occidental countries person been reluctant astir talking with the Taliban.

Merkel’s remarks came aft a spokesperson for the Taliban told a German paper that his radical was acceptable for afloat diplomatic relations with the Germans, and had “forgiven” them their past practice with the Americans successful the country.

Merkel did not notation to his remarks, nor did she speech astir establishing immoderate benignant of authoritative diplomatic relations.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar has sent a level carrying nutrient and aesculapian goods to Kabul, portion of an effort to supply severely needed supplies to Afghanistan arsenic the state faces a halt successful astir Western aid.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the level had landed astatine Kabul airdrome connected Sunday with 26 tons of aesculapian and nutrient aid, the 2nd specified shipment successful arsenic galore days.

The tiny Gulf authorities of Qatar has taken an outsized relation successful evacuation efforts arsenic U.S. forces completed their withdrawal from the state past week. It’s besides expected to play an important governmental relation successful what comes adjacent for Afghanistan.

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BERLIN — The caput of the International Committee of the Red Cross, oregon ICRC, has arrived for a three-day sojourn successful Afghanistan.

Peter Maurer arrived Sunday and plans to sojourn aesculapian facilities, rehabilitation centers for victims of unit and illness arsenic good arsenic ICRC staffers.

The alleviation radical said successful a connection that Maurer besides plans to conscionable with section Afghan authorities.

Maurer said: “Afghans person suffered from 40 years of struggle and they present look years of enactment to heal and recover. The International Committee of the Red Cross is dedicated to staying present to assistance that recovery.”

The ICRC president besides stressed that the aboriginal of Afghans relies connected the continued “investment from the extracurricular world.”

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VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is encouraging countries to invited Afghan refugees who are seeking a caller life.

During his quality to the nationalist successful St. Peter’s Square connected Sunday, Francis besides prayed that displaced persons wrong Afghanistan person assistance and protection.

“In these tumultuous moments, successful which Afghans are seeking refuge, I commune for the astir susceptible among them, I commune truthful that galore countries invited and support each those seeking a caller life,” Francis said.

The pope didn’t mention the Taliban oregon their policies, but added: “may young Afghans person an education, which is indispensable for quality development.”

He concluded by expressing anticipation that each Afghans, whether successful their homeland, successful transit, oregon successful countries taking them in, whitethorn beryllium capable to “live with dignity, successful peace, successful brotherhood with their neighbors.”

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BERLIN — Angelina Jolie has expressed interest astir the concern of women and girls successful Afghanistan.

The actress, who is besides a peculiar envoy to the U.N.’s precocious commissioner for refugees, told a German paper Sunday she doesn’t deliberation the incoming authorities successful Afghanistan could simply crook backmost the timepiece truthful that everything would beryllium similar 20 years ago. But she inactive has large worries astir the concern for women there.

Jolie told the play Welt americium Sonntag: “I’m reasoning of each the women and girls who don’t cognize present if they tin spell backmost to enactment oregon school. And I’m reasoning of the young Afghans who are disquieted that they volition suffer their freedom.”

Taliban fighters captured astir of Afghanistan past period and celebrated the departure of the past U.S. forces aft 20 years of war. The insurgent radical indispensable present govern a war-ravaged state that is heavy reliant connected planetary aid.

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BERLIN — A Taliban spokesperson has told a German paper that his radical wants to found diplomatic relations with Germany.

Zabihullah Mujahid tells the play Welt americium Sonntag that “we privation beardown and authoritative diplomatic relations to Germany.”

The paper reported Sunday that the Taliban besides anticipation for fiscal enactment from Germany arsenic good arsenic humanitarian assistance and practice regarding Afghanistan’s wellness attraction system, acquisition and agriculture.

The German authorities has been reserved astir establishing authoritative ties with the Taliban. Officials accidental talks are needed to get the remaining erstwhile Afghan staffers who worked for the Germans retired of the country.

According to the newspaper, Mujahid said it was unfortunate Germany had cooperated with the Americans during the warfare “but that has present been forgiven.”

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KABUL, Afghanistan — Some home flights person resumed astatine Afghanistan’s planetary airdrome successful Kabul, with the state-run Ariana Afghan Airline operating flights to 3 provinces.

Shershah Stor, the airline’s presumption manager astatine the airport, told The Associated Press connected Sunday that the flights took spot Saturday to occidental Herat, confederate Kandahar and bluish Balkh provinces. He said the flights were conducted without a functioning radar strategy astatine the airport.

Stor said 3 much flights are scheduled Sunday to the aforesaid provinces.

A squad of Qatari and Turkish technicians arrived successful Kabul past week to assistance restart operations astatine the airport, which the U.N. says is important to providing the state with humanitarian assistance. It remains to beryllium seen, however, whether immoderate commercialized airlines volition beryllium consenting to connection service.

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WASHINGTON — The apical U.S. subject wide has thanked members of the 10th Mountain Division for their work successful Afghanistan during the evacuation of Americans, Afghans and others implicit the past respective weeks.

Army Gen. Mark Milley, president of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with subject constabulary soldiers astatine the Rhine Ordnance Barracks successful Germany connected Saturday.

Standing extracurricular talking to a group, helium asked them, “You were determination for the bombing?” Heads nodded and a chorus of voices answered, “yes, sir.”

A termination bombing by the Islamic State radical adjacent a gross astatine the Kabul airdrome much than a week agone killed 13 U.S. work members arsenic good arsenic 169 Afghans who were crowded astir the entry, hopeless to get connected flights retired of Afghanistan.

“You guys did an unthinkable job, each of you — Army, Navy, Marines, the Air Force — flying retired 124,000 people. That’s what you saved,” Milley told the soldiers. He said they “showed tremendous courageousness subject and capability, moving together. It’s thing you should ever beryllium arrogant of… This volition beryllium a infinitesimal that you’ll ever remember.”