Canada may have just 2-3 days to evacuate Afghans, families: Sources

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Canadian government sources said Wednesday that Canada may have one-to-two days to conduct evacuations despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's words that the country could airlift people out of Afghanistan past an Aug. 31 deadline.

Trudeau waffled Tuesday, leaving room to acknowledge the Taliban if it honored pledges to respect women and amnesty for all, including those who helped the US and its allies fight the Taliban.

“We know very clearly that the Taliban want to be recognized as a government," he said. “They have insisted that they are different than they were 20 years ago. That remains to be seen. We are highly skeptical.”

The sources who said Canada would only have 24-48 hours as of Wednesday were not named because they were not authorized to speak on the subject.

But at a news conference on Wednesday, Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan confirmed that the US warned its allies that there would be no extension of the American-imposed Aug. 31 deadline to get out of Afghanistan. Sajjan said Canada will have to leave soon to get its troops out.

“Drawing down takes considerable time," said Sajjan. "It is not done overnight and comes with significant risk. As the Americans finalize their drawdown to meet their deadline, partners nations, including Canada, must draw down our troops, assets and aircraft ahead of the Americans.

“These moves are necessary for the US to safely maintain control of the airport until they depart,” he added.

Canada had airlifted more than 2,700 Canadians, Afghan refugees and other foreign nationals as of Aug. 24, said Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, as reported by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The US evacuated 82,300 people between Aug. 14-24, the White House told CBS News.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said no more Afghans would be allowed into the Kabul airport.

“The road that ends at the Kabul airport has been blocked,” he said Tuesday. “Foreigners can go through it, but Afghans are not allowed to take the road.”