WASHINGTON: The administration of US President Joe Biden can activate the Fleet Civil Reserve Water (CRAF) to have a commercial aircraft to help evacuate people from Afghanistan, US officials told the Wall Street Journal.
Up to five airlines can be involved in the US military efforts to transport Evakary Afghanistan, officials said on Saturday, determining that nearly 20 commercial jets can be used to help ferry people stranded at US bases in Qatar, Bahrain and Germany.
Officials said that the civil aircraft would not fly out of the capital of Kabul Afghanistan.
“The US Transportation Command issued a warning order to US operators on Friday night with the possibility of Craf activation,” Captain John Perkins, spokesman for the US Transportation Command, told the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, adding that warning orders could be canceled if additional airplanes were not needed.
Officials said the journal Wall Street that the White House and Pentagon have not issued final approval for the use of CRAF and alternative options can still be considered.
Many countries have begun to evacuate their residents and diplomatic personnel from Afghanistan after the Taliban entered Kabul on August 15.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani resigned and left the country to prevent what he described as a bloodshed that would occur if militants had to fight for the city.
On Thursday, England’s foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced that foreign ministers G7 urged the Taliban to guarantee Afghanistan and foreigners passed Kabul.
Raab, who led our conference calls, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, said in a statement that seven countries would continue efforts to evacuate people who were vulnerable from the Afghan capital.
According to the poll this week, more than 50 percent of Americans did not approve the handling of Afghanistan Biden, with only 49 percent of US voters who supported the withdrawal of troops.
The US can get a commercial airline involved in Afghan evacuation: report
