The American embassy in Afghanistan urged its citizens today, Saturday, to exercise caution and prepare to leave the country as soon as possible, amid escalating violence and confrontations between government forces and the Taliban. The embassy published a security warning on its website stating: "Due to the historic rise in violence in Afghanistan after the holiday, U.S. citizens are reminded to exercise caution in crowded places, including markets, places of worship, and banks."
Washington expressed "concern over the militants' insistence on targeting foreigners through kidnappings or attacks on places such as hotels, residential complexes, and security checkpoints." The U.S. embassy in Afghanistan urged its citizens to "make plans to leave Afghanistan through commercial airlines." Washington plans to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 2001 attacks that led Washington to overthrow the Taliban regime.
