The countdown for the evacuation of Westerners but also of Afghans that they have the necessary requisites from Afghanistan has begun but in the last few hours a novelty has surfaced which – if it weren't for the very serious threats from ISIS – could slightly dilute the climate of very strong tension that has been breathed at the airport for days Kabul. The German negotiator in Doha, Markus Potzel, who met in the Qatari capital with the deputy head of the political office of the Koranic students, Aher Abbas Stanekzai, declared that the Taliban are available to ensure that Afghan civilians equipped with the necessary documents will be able leave Afghanistan even after the deadline of 31 August. However, the German government, like other Western governments starting from the USA, as President Joe Biden has repeatedly stated, want to complete the evacuation operations within the week. The only discordant voice was British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who, during a visit to a military base on the outskirts of London, stated that "most" of the Afghans in danger have by now been transferred, but there are "people who will need help” even after August 31st. So far 82 people have been evacuated from Kabul but 300 are still at risk.
But in the morning the American, British and Australian embassies in Kabul invited their compatriots still in Afghanistan to do not travel to Kabul airport for the presence of "threats to security outside the gates". In particular, the British foreign minister declared: "If you are in the airport area, move away to a safe place and await further advice".
The danger hanging over Kabul is in fact an attack organized by ISIS near the airport to cause an escalation of tensions and clashes in Afghanistan, according to a note from the CIA and allied secret services. The Islamic State of the Afghan province of Khorosan, affiliated to ISIS, threatens a massacre with car bombs at Kabul airport to unleash the Apocalypse with dead and wounded. It is quite clear that the alarm is maximum and that all Western chancelleries, starting with the White House, are holding their breath.
This afternoon a plane an Italian C-130 took off amid gunfire. On board were 98 evacuated Afghan civilians and some Italian journalists. According to reports from Ansa, which cites intelligence sources, it was not an attack on the Italian plane, but an Afghan machine gun that would have fired into the air to disperse the crowd that was pressing towards the airport gate . No shots were directed at the aircraft taking off.
(Last update: 15.30 pm on 26 August).
