KUWAIT: US Ambassador to Kuwait Alina Romanowski announced that the first flight of at-risk Afghan evacuees arrived safely to a coalition military installation in Kuwait yesterday. They were welcomed by dedicated US and Kuwaiti military and diplomatic personnel, the envoy wrote on her Twitter account yesterday. Up to 5,000 Afghans will transit in Kuwait before heading to the US and other destinations, she added.
Kuwait had approved the transit of 5,000 Afghan nationals, who have been evacuated from their country to the US under the directions of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the foreign ministry announced on Sunday. This move comes in "recognition of the strategic relations between the State of Kuwait and the United States of America," according to the ministry statement.
It also aims to "enhance the existing cooperation between them and in continuation of the humanitarian role of the State of Kuwait, which calls for the importance of securing safe passage for diplomats and foreign nationals and the facilitation of evacuations from Afghanistan."
US Ambassador Romanowski had lauded Kuwait for the cooperation for evacuating American citizens and at-risk locals from Afghanistan and has deeply appreciated its support at this level. "Over the past several days, the United States has mobilized an unprecedented global effort to evacuate US citizens, personnel from partner nations, and at-risk individuals from Kabul," the US ambassador said in a press statement released on Monday. "Since August 16, more than 850 Americans and personnel at embassy in Kabul transited safely from Afghanistan to the United States via Kuwait on five separate flights," the statement added.