President Biden rejects pleas from G7 to extend Afghan rescue operation - BBC News

The White House has insisted that the US is still planning to pull all forces out of Afghanistan by August 31st and end the emergency airlift from Kabul, despite direct appeals from other G7 leaders to President Biden to extend the deadline.

At a virtual summit of G7 leaders the EU Council President said Kabul airport should stay open for as long as it takes to evacuate those trying to leave, and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel said airlifts could not continue without the US.

In a hardening of their position, the Taliban said they they would not allow Afghans to be evacuated.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Lyse Doucet in Kabul, deputy political editor Vicki Young, diplomatic correspondent Caroline Hawley, North America editor Jon Sopel and Secunder Kermani in the Afghan capital.