Pentagon says US govt evacuated 2,000 people including 325 citizens in last 24 hours

The United States has evacuated 2,000 people, including 325 of its citizens, in 18 flights over the past 24 hours, Pentagon announced late on Wednesday. Earlier Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley had confirmed that roughly 5000 people have been repatriated ever since the Taliban took control of Kabul on Sunday. Now, addressing media reporters, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said that the military is currently working to get a maximum of 5,000 to 9,000 people out in a single day.

Elaborating on the US-Taliban relationship, Kirby asserted that the American military was holding regular talks with the insurgents to get Afghans into the airport, and also to improve the paperwork process, including for Afghans who have applied for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV). It is imperative to note that Washington has ramped up its security measures on Kabul International Airport with 4,500 troops on the ground to facilitate the airlift as well as secure the airport. 

Austin lists out 3 concerns regarding the evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on Wednesday, outlined three main concerns regarding the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan. The first concern is to ensure the safety and security of the “people we’re trying to evacuate”, he told media reporters. Secondly, US troops on the ground are focused on "maintaining security" at Hamid Karzai International Airport itself. Lastly, he said that the US military was focused on keeping pace and increasing the outflow of people from the conflict-ravaged country.

US Department of Defense and State release joint statement

The Pentagon and State Department issued conflicting statements Wednesday about the ability of US citizens and Afghans to reach the Kabul international airport. State Department asserted that the Taliban was obstructing the path of Afghans who want to leave the country. But later, Defense Department said that “the Taliban are in and around the Kabul right now but they are not interfering with our operations.”

Image: AP