U.S. says it expects Taliban to allow Afghans to evacuate safely

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Wednesday the United States expects the Taliban to allow Afghans who wish to leave Afghanistan to depart safely, following reports that the group now in control of the country was blocking airport access. “We all share a focus right now on making sure that our countrymen and women, that Afghans at-risk in all categories, are able to leave the country should they so choose,” she told reporters.