NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday the alliance was surprised by the speed of the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan, but blamed Afghan leaders for the "tragedy". "Ultimately, the Afghan political leadership failed to stand up to the Taliban and to achieve the peaceful solution that Afghans desperately wanted," he said. "This failure of the Afghan leadership led to the tragedy we are witnessing today," he said, echoing US President Joe Biden, whose decision to withdraw US troops precipitated the end of the NATO mission. Stoltenberg blamed the leadership in Afghanistan for failing to stand up to the Taliban, which led to the collapse of the country. "What we have seen in the last few weeks was a military and political collapse at a speed which had not been anticipated. "The Afghan political leadership failed to stand up to the Taliban and to achieve the peaceful solution that Afghans desperately wanted," he told an online press conference after a meeting of NATO ambassadors to discuss the developments in Afghanistan. Stoltenberg told reporters that the alliance was now working to ensure the safety of NATO's remaining 800 civilian personnel in Kabul and the city's airport, and of its Afghan employees. He said that NATO member states had pledged to put on more evacuation flights at a meeting of senior envoys earlier Tuesday. "Over the past few years, from over 100,000 troops we went down to less than 10,000 — and now to zero. NATO Allies and partners went into Afghanistan after 9/11 to prevent the country from serving as a safe haven for international terrorists to attack us," he said. "In the last two decades, there have been no terrorist attacks on Allied soil organized from Afghanistan," he noted. "Those now taking power have the responsibility to ensure that international terrorists do not regain a foothold," he said. He thanked the military forces of NATO Allies, in particular Turkey, the US and UK for their vital role in securing the airport. "Operations at the airport are now gradually resuming. And during today's meeting Allies announced that they are sending additional airplanes," he said. Stoltenberg called for "an honest, clear-eyed assessment of NATO's own engagement in Afghanistan." He said, "Despite our considerable investment and sacrifice over two decades, the collapse was swift and sudden. There are many lessons to be learned." The NATO chief said, "There must be a peaceful transfer of power to an inclusive government. With no revenge or retribution." He added, "The world will be watching. And must continue to support a stable and peaceful Afghanistan". A NATO official said the alliance estimates that 1,000 Afghan employees and dependents may have to be airlifted out of Kabul. Most would be taken to a third country while they are processed for visas to resettle in NATO member states. Stoltenberg said NATO's senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo, would remain at the airport "to coordinate and facilitate the evacuation" of NATO staff and Afghan employees. — Age
