According to the U.S. State Department, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday discussed Afghanistan issue with Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

However, the State Department release also said that Blinken acknowledged Qatar’s assistance to transit U.S. citizens as well as Afghanistan citizens.

Blinken, along with the Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited the region since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

Blinken’s team praises the “indispensable support in facilitating the transit of US citizens, embassy Kabul personnel, at-risk Afghans, and other evacuees from Afghanistan through Qatar".

From Qatar, around 55,000 people were airlifted out of Afghanistan and nearly half them were evacuated by US-led forces.

Earlier, Blinken said that in Qatar he would “express our deep gratitude for all that they’re doing to support the evacuation effort" and will meet rescued Afghans.

Image Courtesy: Reuters