G7 nations discuss Afghanistan situation, future moves

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host an emergency meeting of G-7 leaders Tuesday to address the chaotic situation in Afghanistan and what their next moves will be, a media report said on Tuesday.

The G-7 countries — the UK, the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan — will attempt to formulate a plan for the immediate term and the future as thousands of Afghan refugees are amassed around Kabul airport trying to get out of the country and as countries carry out one of the biggest airlifts in history to get their citizens out.

The virtual meeting will come against the backdrop of a turbulent US withdrawal from Afghanistan that has seen Taliban forces take control of the country in roughly 10 days as the Afghan military and government capitulated.

It also comes just one week ahead of the US’s Aug. 31 deadline for the complete withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan. Johnson is expected to request that Washington extend that deadline, something President Joe Biden has openly considered. But the Taliban have said they will not accept an extension.

“It’s a red line. President Biden announced that on 31 August they would withdraw all their military forces,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Sky News on Monday. “So if they extend it that means they are extending occupation while there is no need for that.”