Edge's News: Britain to push for sanctions against Taliban at G7 meeting

Britain plans to push world leaders to consider new sanctions against the Taliban when the G7 group of advanced economies meet on Tuesday to discuss the crisis in Afghanistan, sources told Reuters.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who currently leads the group that also consists of the US, Italy, France, Germany, Japan and Canada, and the EU, called on Sunday for the online meeting.

Britain believes the G7 should consider economic sanctions and withhold aid if the Taliban commit human rights abuses or allow their territory to be used as a haven for militants, a government official said.

US President Joe Biden on Sunday said the Taliban had not taken any action against American troops controlling Kabul airport, and largely lived up to their pledge to let Americans reach the airport safely. Mr Biden said he would support Britain's push for sanctions if the Taliban committed abuses, but "it depends on the conduct".

Taliban militants seized control of Kabul last weekend in an upheaval that sent civilians and Afghan military allies fleeing for safety.Many fear a return to the austere interpretation of Islamic law imposed during the previous Taliban rule, which ended 20 years ago.

"It is vital that the international community works together to ensure safe evacuations, prevent a humanitarian crisis and support the Afghan people to secure the gains of the last 20 years," Mr Johnson tweeted on Sunday.

I will convene G7 leaders on Tuesday for urgent talks on the situation in Afghanistan. It is vital that the international community works together to ensure safe evacuations, prevent a humanitarian crisis and support the Afghan people to secure the gains of the last 20 years.

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 22, 2021

Sanctions against the Taliban are unlikely to be adopted immediately, a western diplomat said. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab first raised the possibility of sanctions to pressure the Taliban last week.

Mr Biden, under fire at home and abroad for his handling of the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, last week said G7 leaders would work out a joint approach to the Taliban. He has already held talks with Mr Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

Mr Johnson plans to urge Mr Biden to extend his August 31 deadline for withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan so that more people can be flown out, British media reported.

Britain will increase the removal of British and Afghan citizens from Afghanistan on Monday under a plan to fly up to 6,000 people out of the country this week. The military has apparently extended Tuesday's deadline for the last Royal Air Force evacuation flight to Friday or Saturday. Britain has flown out more than 5,700 people from Afghanistan since August 13, the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday.

Mr Biden said the US military was discussing the possibility of extending the deadline, but hoped that would not be necessary. He said Washington would consider an extension if asked to do so by G7 allies, but was working closely with those countries and others to help move out their citizens.

The US military earlier on Sunday said it had ordered commercial aircraft to help transport people who have already been flown out of Afghanistan. Mr Biden said on Friday that he and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would work with other countries to set "harsh conditions" for any co-operation with or recognition of the Taliban, based on their treatment of women and girls and overall human rights record.