The Latest: Biden warns of IS threat to Kabul evacuation

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is raising concerns that the Islamic State poses a threat as American troops seek to evacuate thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan. Ezat, a co-organizer of the gathering who asked not to be identified by his last name, said the Taliban “are taking back all freedoms we had until now and for 20 years.” He called on France to welcome refugees because “it’s not the Taliban who are fleeing the country, it’s people whose lives are in danger.” Macron said Monday that France would “do its duty to protect those who are most at risk,” but also said Europeans must “protect ourselves against significant irregular migratory flows.” France has evacuated almost 600 people from Kabul since Monday, most of them Afghan citizens who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan. ___ LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will convene a meeting of leaders from the Group of Seven nations on Tuesday for “urgent talks on the situation in Afghanistan.” In a statement posted on Twitter, Johnson said 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.” The U.K. holds this year’s presidency of the G-7 nations, which is also made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. ___ LONDON — Tony Blair, the British prime minister who deployed troops to Afghanistan 20 years ago after the 9/11 attacks, says the U.S. decision to leave has “every Jihadist group round the world cheering.” In a lengthy essay posted on his website late Saturday, Blair said the decision to withdraw troops was “tragic, dangerous, unnecessary.” He added that Britain has a “moral obligation” to stay until “all those who need to be are evacuated.” He said the exit was not in the West or Afghanistan’s interest, with the Taliban reasserting itself across most of the country. He also warned that the decision by the U.S. to keep Britain largely in the dark about the withdrawal risks relegating the country to “the second division of global powers.” Blair accused U.S. President Joe Biden of making the decision on the back of “an imbecilic political slogan about ending ‘the forever wars’.” ___ KABUL, Afghanistan — The British military says seven Afghan civilians have been killed in the crowds near Kabul’s international airport amid the chaos of those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country.