Taliban Claims It Is 'Not Creating Any Hurdles' for Afghans With Proper Visas to Leave

The Taliban said Monday that it will not stop Afghans from leaving the country, as long as they have the proper paperwork.

Suhail Shaheen, an official spokesperson for the militant group, told the BBC Monday that they will not create barriers for people who wish to leave the country after August 31—a date the Taliban has described as a "red line" for withdrawal of U.S. troops.

"There is an option open for them," Shaheen said. "We are not creating any hurdles in their way if they have a passport issued by the U.S. to them, they can go on commercial flights at any time they want to go. That is their right."

The Taliban spokesperson added they want Afghans to stay and participate in the construction of the country, but people can leave if they have the "proper documents."

President Joe Biden has sent additional soldiers to Afghanistan to evacuate American citizens and allies amid the Taliban's lightning-fast takeover of the nation. The Pentagon said Monday that 16,000 people were evacuated in the past 24 hours, including roughly 11,000 people transported by the U.S. military.

"Our mission remains focused on ensuring a steady flow of evacuees out of Kabul to the intermediate staging bases and safe havens," Army Major General Hank Taylor, a logistics specialist on the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters.

Mark Jacobson, a former deputy senior civilian representative for NATO, told MSNBC that the biggest challenge is getting American citizens, visa applicants and Afghans from civil society into the airport in order to be evacuated.

"I don't know if it can be done before the 31st," Jacobson said.

Biden said Sunday that the U.S. may look to extend its August 31 deadline for withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan, but hopes it won't be necessary.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will pressure Biden to extend the Afghanistan evacuation window at an emergency summit of Group of Seven leaders on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said Monday that extending the deadline by even a day or two will allow more people to be evacuated. "Because we are really down to hours now, not weeks, and we have to make sure we exploit every minute to get people out," Wallace said.

But the Taliban said there will be "consequences" if the original deadline isn't met.

"It's a red line," Shaheen told Sky News. "President Biden announced that on 31 August they would withdraw all their military forces. So, if they extend it that means they are extending occupation while there is no need for that."

"If the U.S. or U.K. were to seek additional time to continue evacuations — the answer is no," Shaheen continued. "Or there would be consequences. It will create mistrust between us. If they are intent on continuing the occupation it will provoke a reaction."

Newsweek reached out to the Department of Defense for comment but didn't receive a response before publication.