As Taliban takes over Afghanistan, police in major US cities see no credible threats but continuously monitor

on Aug17
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Police departments overseeing major cities in parts of the country say they are constantly monitoring for any threats in their respective regions and will respond accordingly amid ongoing devastation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has taken control as the U.S. withdrew its military presence. 

The Taliban has resumed control across the Middle Eastern country – effectively disintegrating the presence of Afghan forces trained and equipped by the U.S. and its allies for the past nearly two decades. On the home front, police departments in several American cities nationwide say they have not received any specific or confirmed threats but are monitoring the situation closely. 

In the nation’s capital, a spokesperson for Washington, D.C.’s, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) told Fox News they are not aware of any credible threats to the city but urged the local community “to report any suspicious behavior to the proper authorities.”

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“MPD continues to monitor and assess information we gather regarding any potential threats to the city in collaboration with our local and federal partners to ensure the public’s safety,” spokesperson Alaina Gertz said in an emailed statement. 

Taliban fighters sit on a vehicle along the street in Jalalabad province on Aug, 15, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)

Taliban fighters sit on a vehicle along the street in Jalalabad province on Aug, 15, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)

A representative for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said the agency has deployed additional officers in certain locations throughout the city and is working “closely” with federal partners related to any potential threats in their region. The LAPD has not identified any threats linked to the events in Afghanistan, according to an emailed statement. 

“We are encouraging all persons that if they ‘see something, say something’ as it relates to any suspicious activities or behaviors,” the spokesperson wrote. 

Reps for police departments overseeing Miami, Florida and Austin, Texas, said their agencies have not uncovered any specific threats in their jurisdictions. 

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John Elder, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department, told Fox News officials “constantly monitor things that can be flash points locally, nationally and internationally.”

He added: “We adjust our patrol tactics to address current events and possible threats.”

Spokespersons for the Seattle and Chicago police departments did not respond to Fox News’ requests for information. The New York Police Department declined to comment Tuesday.

The Taliban is a militant group that ran Afghanistan in the late 1990s. 

The U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 ousted the insurgents from power, but they never left. After they blitzed across the country in recent days, the Western-backed government that has run the country for 20 years collapsed. 

On Sunday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, saying he had chosen to leave to avoid further bloodshed. It’s not clear where he went.

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Afghans, fearing for the future, have been seen in devastating images and videos taking any means necessary to leave the country. 

President Biden called the situation in Afghanistan “gut-wrenching” but rejected blame for what’s happening. While he acknowledged that the collapse of the Afghan government happened much more quickly than he anticipated, he said he stood “squarely behind” his decision to pull U.S. troops out.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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