U.S. Allies Halt Afghanistan Evacuations, Warn of Growing Threat From Islamic State

Several European countries said they were halting evacuation flights from Afghanistan, leaving behind citizens and thousands of Afghans who had been cleared for entry, because the U.S. needs time to wind down operations ahead of the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.

As the airlift opportunities began disappearing, against the backdrop of what Western officials have called a heightened threat of terrorism, desperate Afghans and foreign citizens still tried to reach Kabul’s international airport but on Thursday morning found the roads blocked by Taliban checkpoints.

“Everything is over,” said a 30-year-old teacher who tried to get to the airport. “They’re not letting anyone pass, not even those with foreign passports or visas.”

Thousands of Western citizens and permanent residents are still stranded in Afghanistan, and many fear that they will now be abandoned to face possible Taliban retribution. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that approximately 1,500 American citizens were still in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and that Washington was in touch with some 500 of them, trying to organize evacuations.