Taliban issues new warning against extending evacuation deadline

Spokesman says group will not agree to August 31 deadline extension, calls on US to stop evacuating skilled Afghans.

The Taliban is reiterating that it will not agree to an extension of a looming deadline to evacuate Afghans from Kabul airport, even as Western countries say they are running out of time. Speaking at a press conference in the capital Kabul on Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group would not approve an extension, and told the US to stop evacuating skilled Afghans. European nations have said they will not be able to airlift at-risk Afghans before the August 31 cut-off, and United States President Joe Biden has faced calls from all corners to extend the evacuation window.