Tag Archives: Ashraf Ghani

US Embassy Kabul Evacuates Staff as Taliban Returns to Power in Afghanistan

August 15, 2021 By in Americans Abroad, chargé d’affaires, Evacuations, Hotspots, Realities of the FS, Security, Spectacular, State Department, Trends, U.S. Missions, US Embassy Kabul Tags: , , ,

 

On Thursday, August 12, US Embassy Kabul urged U.S, citizens in in the country to ” to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options.” On August 13: @StateDept Spox on Afghanistan: “This is not a full evacuation. This is not — .” By Saturday, August 14, the Embassy announced that it “has received reports that international commercial flights are still operating from Kabul, but seats may not be available. The U.S. Embassy is exploring options for U.S. citizens who want to depart and who have not been able to find a seat on commercial flights.”
On Sunday, Embassy Kabul issued an August 15  Security Alert saying in part: “The security situation in Kabul is changing quickly including at the airport. There are reports of the airport taking fire and we are instructing U.S. citizens to shelter in place. The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan has suspended consular operations effective immediately. Do not come to the Embassy or airport at this time.”
A revised Security Alert with no time stamp, only dated August 15 now says “The security situation in Kabul is changing quickly including at the airport.  There are reports of the airport taking fire; therefore we are instructing U.S. citizens to shelter in place.
But by Saturday evening, there were already reports that the evacuation of US diplomats from Embassy Kabul was underway. Early on Sunday morning, media reports that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has left the country reportedly for Tajiskistan with a third unnamed country as destination. According to reports, Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will reportedly lead Afghanistan’s interim government.
CDA Ross Wilson has reportedly left the US Embassy Kabul and is now “stationed at Kabul airport.”

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US-Taliban Inks Deal, Afghanistan Bolts Over Prisoners Release, Taliban Attacks Resume #72Hours

March 4, 2020 By in Af/Pak, Defense Department, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Mike Pompeo, Pompeo, Secretary of State, Spectacular, State Department, Trump, U.S. Missions, US Embassy Kabul Tags: , , , , ,

 

 

NOTE: Right hand photo below is posted on state.gov’s Flickr account here but Taliban negotiator Stanikzai was not identified. Caption only says “Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo participates in a signing ceremony in Doha, Qatar, on February 29, 2020. [State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]”.

 

John Kerry in Kabul: Brokering an Election Dispute Agreement in Photos

July 12, 2014 By in Af/Pak, Elections, Foreign Affairs, John F. Kerry, Photo of the Day, Secretary of State, U.S. Missions, US Embassy Kabul Tags: , , , , ,

— Domani Spero
[twitter-follow screen_name=’Diplopundit’ ]

 

Via NYT:

KABUL, Afghanistan — Secretary of State John Kerry spent a second day here in the Afghan capital on Saturday shuttling between the top two presidential contenders and the presidential palace in an effort to forge an agreement on how to audit recent elections and preventAfghanistan’s first democratic transfer of power from collapsing.

The two candidates, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani, spent the day inside the United States Embassy building holding separate meetings with Mr. Kerry, according to campaign officials. Mr. Kerry then traveled to the palace to talk to President Hamid Karzai. Talks were continuing into early evening without food or drink because of Ramadan, for which Muslims fast during the day. Mr. Kerry complained, jokingly, to Mr. Karzai that his embassy had “starved” him, according to pool reports.

Here are some photos from his latest Kabul trip to broker an election dispute agreement between Abdullah and Ghani.

Stand Together

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appears before reporters with Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah on July 11, 2014, after he arrived at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan for a meeting about steps to resolve the country’s disputed presidential election between him and fellow candidate Ashraf Ghani. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stands with Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani as he addresses reporters on July 11, 2014, after Ghani arrived at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan for a meeting about steps to resolve the country’s disputed presidential election between him and fellow candidate Abdullah Abdullah. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

Shake-hands

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Resolve this or no more aid

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Embrace of Rivals

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Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani, left, prepares to embrace rival Abdullah Abdullah, right, at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 12, 2014, after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry helped broker an agreement on a technical and political plan to resolve the disputed outcome of the election between them. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

Harder than it looks

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sits with Afghan presidential candidates Abdullah Abdullah, left, and Ashraf Ghani, right, at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 12, 2014, after he helped broker an agreement on a technical and political plan to resolve the disputed outcome of the election between them. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

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