US must complete evacuations from Afghanistan by Aug 31: Taliban spokesman

A Taliban spokesman says the U.S. must complete its evacuation of people from Afghanistan by the August 31 date the Biden administration set for the withdrawal of all American troops.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says his group will accept no extensions to the deadline. He says life is returning to normal in the country but chaos at the airport remains a problem. Many Afghans are desperate to flee the Taliban takeover of the country.

Mujahid says he is not aware of any meeting between the Taliban and the CIA, but he did not deny that such a meeting took place.

An official says the director of the U.S. agency met with the Taliban's top political leader in Kabul on Monday.