US State Secretary Blinken To Visit Qatar, Germany Next Week For Afghan Crisis Talks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday he will travel next week to Qatar and Germany for talks on the Afghanistan crisis.

Blinken told reporters he would leave Sunday and voice "deep gratitude" to Qatar, a key hub for the massive US airlift of Afghans, as the Taliban swiftly took control of the country.

The top US diplomat said he would then head to Germany to lead a virtual 20-nation ministerial meeting on Afghanistan alongside Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

The countries "all have a stake in helping to relocate and resettle Afghans and in holding the Taliban to their commitments," Blinken said.

He was referring to the Taliban's promises to let Afghans leave the country even after the United States ended its 20-year military mission there earlier this week.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will also leave on a trip Sunday that begins in Qatar, which has served as the base for diplomacy with the Taliban.

Austin will then visit Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, also military allies of the United States, the Pentagon said.

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