US conducts unprecedented relocation effort

F.P. Report

WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has said that “I want to thank our allies and partners.  This operation was a global endeavor in every way.  Many countries stepped up with robust contributions to the airlift, including working by our side at the airport.  Some are now serving as transit countries, allowing evacuees to be registered and processed on the way to their final destinations.  Others have agreed to resettle Afghan refugees permanently, and we hope more will do so in the days and weeks ahead.  We are truly grateful for their support.”

The United States mobilized an unprecedented, global effort through our diplomatic channels to evacuate U.S. citizens, personnel from partner nations, and at-risk Afghans from Kabul.  In total, the United States and our partners relocated more than 124,000 people to safety, including 6,000 U.S. citizens.

With support from partners and allies, the United States put together a global network – consisting of more than two dozen countries spanning four continents – with total temporary transit capacity of 65,000 people on a rolling basis, including up to 2,000 spaces to accommodate persons that need longer-term processing.  

The United States Leverages a Global Network of Partners

We are grateful to the global network of countries that have provided critical assistance for our evacuation efforts. 

Partners and allies – including Bahrain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Qatar, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom – have helped transit Americans or others to safety.    

Other countries have made generous offers to help in a variety of ways regarding the relocation efforts for at-risk Afghans.  These countries include Albania, Bahrain, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, India, Kuwait, Mexico, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Singapore, Uganda, and the United Arab Emirates.  

Our temporary transit locations in the Gulf have the capacity to process approximately 37,000 people on a rolling basis, and more than 65,000 people have already been processed through the Gulf, bound for the United States or further processing at European sites. 

The temporary transit locations we have established at U.S. or joint bases in Europe have capacity to process at least 28,000 people on a rolling basis. 

The United States is Working Quickly and With Precision 

We are working around the clock to ensure U.S. citizens, at-risk Afghan civilians, and others are able to reach their ultimate destinations safely and efficiently.    

Dedicated intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Counterterrorism Center, and additional Intelligence Community partners, are working around the clock to expedite the processing and vetting of Afghans before they are allowed into the United States. This includes reviews of both biographic and biometric data.   

Already nearly 40,000 people have departed overseas processing sites and arrived in the United States.