US tells government employees to leave Afghanistan if they can

US government employees have been told to leave Afghanistan if they can carry out their work elsewhere, the State Department said Tuesday.

“On April 27, 2021, the Department ordered the departure from US Embassy Kabul of US government employees whose functions can be performed elsewhere,” read the updated travel advisory for Afghanistan.

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Although the advisory remains at Level 4, which warns against all travel to a country, the new order for American government employees comes weeks after President Joe Biden announced that all US forces would be out of Afghanistan by September.

The State Department also called on US citizens wishing to leave Afghanistan to do so “as soon as possible on available commercial flights.”

Apart from the high levels of coronavirus infections, Afghanistan is deemed unsafe due to the potential for kidnappings, hostage taking, suicide bombings and terrorist attacks.

The upcoming withdrawal, which has already started with US troops shipping out equipment, has raised fears of the Taliban taking control over Afghanistan and implementing Islamic rule over the country.

Among some of the achievements made by the international community, women and girls’ access to education and public life are feared to be reversed if the Taliban takes control.

US military officials have warned that Washington would not be able to carry out the fight on terrorism in Afghanistan as effectively as it would with troops or forces on the ground.

Read more: Afghanistan: Woman is flogged as US forces withdraw