France, Germany to join London’s call to extend withdrawal from Afghanistan — report

Earlier reports suggested that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will personally ask US President Joe Biden to prolong the withdrawal deadline past August 31

France and Germany intend to fight to prolong the deadline for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan during the G7 online meeting, CNN reported Monday citing its sources.

Earlier reports suggested that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will personally ask US President Joe Biden to prolong the withdrawal deadline past August 31. According to CNN sources, the Prime Minister of the UK, which currently presides over the G7, would lead a group of several US allies that would “pressure Biden.” According to CNN, the call may be joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The G7 online meeting will take place on August 24 under the UK’s initiative. Earlier, the spokesman of the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) political office in Qatar Muhammad Sohail Shahin stated that the US and other Western states will face consequences, should they fail to withdraw from Afghanistan before September.

On August 15, Taliban (outlawed in Russia) militants entered the capital city of Kabul without fighting and took complete control over the city in a matter of hours.

The President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani announced that he was leaving the country in order to prevent bloodshed. Vice-President Amrullah Saleh claimed that in the absence of the president he becomes acting president in accordance with the Constitution. He urged the republic to continue fighting the Taliban. Meanwhile, Western states are in the process of evacuating their citizens and embassy employees from the republic.