U.S. 'working closely' with partners to resume regular evacuation flights out of Afghanistan


The U.S. State Department plans to resume regular evacuation flights out of Afghanistan before the end of the year, or "as soon as we have the right combination of documentation and logistics," said a senior department official to The Wall Street Journal.
Since the U.S. occupation ended on Aug. 31, over 200 U.S. citizens and residents have left Afghanistan on charter flights, since Kabul's international aiport is still closed to regular air travel.
"Our goal is to accelerate the pace of these ongoing charter flights, and we are working closely with our partners to do that," added a second official.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Additional flights will help residents, some visa applicants, and the small number of remaining U.S. citizens leave the country, and "will require coordination with the Taliban and other governments," explained the first official.
There is no scheduled date for which flights will resume because the State Department is "still working through arrangements with neighboring countries," writes the Journal, like traveler documentation and flight permissions.
"As soon as we have the right combination of documentation and logistics, we will get going again," said the first senior State Department official.
Eventually, the U.S. would like to "run several flights a week," and "plans to centralize its evacuation efforts through Qatar," says the Journal.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Special Immigrant Visa applicants will be eligible for seats on the flights, so long as they've completed the required procedural steps. Other at-risk Afghans, like female judges or government workers, will not qualify for flights under the current plan, adds the Journal.
Said the first department official: "I think we're prepared to do this for the foreseeable future, that is certainly the reason for reorganizing the overall effort."
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in Fiji
Under the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’
Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime minister
Speed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s plan
Speed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sites
Speed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace plan
Speed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of Taiwan
In the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU party
Speed Read The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
UK, 3 Western allies recognize Palestinian state
Speed Read Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized the state of Palestine