With less than a week to go before the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline, US evacuation efforts are ramping up in Afghanistan. The US military increased flights out of Kabul yesterday to one every 39 minutes, the Pentagon says.
Meanwhile, two defense officials told CNN on Tuesday that the first US troops have started leaving the country.
Our live coverage has ended. Read more about the situation in Afghanistan here.
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US embassy warns Americans at certain gates in Kabul to "leave immediately"
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
U.S soldiers stand guard at the airport tower near an evacuation control checkpoint during ongoing evacuations at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, August 25.
(AP Photo)
The US Embassy in Kabul advised US citizens at a number of gates at the airport to “leave immediately,” noting “security threats outside the gates.”
CNN reported earlier of “very specific threat stream” from ISIS-K against crowds.
Some context: The US believes ISIS-K, which is a sworn enemy of the Taliban, wants to create mayhem at the airport and has intelligence streams suggesting it is capable and planning to carry out multiple attacks, according to the official.
On Tuesday, as he confirmed his decision not to extend the evacuation deadline beyond Aug. 31, President Biden acknowledged the growing threat the group poses to the airport.
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UK foreign office advices against all travel to Afghanistan, citing "high threat of terrorist attack"
From CNN’s Mitchell McCluskey and Robert Iddiols
The British foreign office has warned its nationals against all travel to Afghanistan in an update to its travel advisory issued on Wednesday.
The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) cited the “high threat of terrorist attack” as the rationale for the updated advice.
The office also advised nationals currently in Afghanistan to avoid traveling to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
The foreign office noted that they suspended all nonessential operations at the British Embassy in Kabul as the security situation becomes more volatile.
The FCDO will offer “extremely limited” consular assistance remotely at the moment, the statement said.
The UK has rushed to evacuate thousands of people from Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country.
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British armed forces have evacuated more than 11,000 people from Afghanistan
From CNN’s Robert Iddiols in London
A handout photo released on August 23, by the British Ministry of Defence, shows members of the UK Armed Forces taking part in the evacuation of from Kabul airport.
(British Ministry of Defence)
UK armed forces have extracted 11,474 British and Afghan nationals out of Kabul since the mission began on Aug.13, the UK Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
According to the statement, “the evacuation process will run as long as the security situation allows in joint coordination with our US partners. No firm date has yet been set for the end of evacuation flights.”
Tensions continue to build around Kabul’s airport perimeter as Afghans face down Taliban harassment in hopes of fleeing the country. Given the Taliban said they do not want Afghans traveling to the airport, UK troops will need to have the final civilian evacuations from Kabul wrapped up within 48 hours, David Richards, the former head of the British armed forces, said on Wednesday.
The UK has evacuated almost 7,000 Afghans and their families during the operation, the ministry confirmed.
Named Operation Pitting, the military evacuation includes embassy staff, British nationals, those eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) program and a number of nationals from partner nations.
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Baby born on evacuation flight named "Reach" for the aircraft's call sign
From CNN's Michael Conte
The top US general in Europe said that the baby girl that had been born on a US C-17 military aircraft to Afghan evacuee parents has been named Reach for the call sign of the aircraft.
Reach was delivered on a C-17 plane en route from Qatar to Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
In a Twitter thread Sunday, the US Air Mobility Command said the woman went into labor aboard a C-17 transport aircraftduring the second leg of her journey fleeing the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The flight wasfrom a staging base in the Middle East to the large US air base in Germany.
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Here's what we know about key figures in the Taliban's leadership structure
From CNN's Saleem Mehsud, Kara Fox, Natalie Croker and Henrik Pettersson and Tim Lister
The Taliban’s leadership structure has long been a mystery, with little known about how it works beyond the group’s most influential figures.
After seizing control of Afghanistan, the Taliban are moving to form a new government, with pledges of inclusivity and reform. But a look at the group’s leadership structure suggests that the nature of the new government could very well mirror the Taliban’s previous hard-line regime.
The group is led by the reclusive Haibatullah Akhundzada, a senior religious cleric in his 50s who was named chief after a US airstrike killed his predecessor in 2016. Hailing from the Taliban heartland of Spin Boldak, in southern Kandahar province, he was involved in the mujahedeen — or holy Islamic fight — against the Soviet invasion in the 1980s, and was appointed as the leader of jihadi matters in 2001, according to a Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid.
His deputy, Abdul Ghani Baradar, was a prominent member of the Taliban regime when it was last in power, and as the head of the group’s political committee is currently one of the militants’ most public facing leaders. Baradar arrived back in Afghanistan after a 20-year-exile last week.
Biden was briefed on contingency plans, but remains committed to Aug. 31 deadline
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
President Biden was briefed early Wednesday on contingency plans in case he determines US troops should remain in Afghanistan past Aug. 31.
That date remains the deadline by which Biden believes the US airlift mission will be complete. But in making his determination on Tuesday, the President asked military commanders to prepare alternate plans in case he feels US forces should remain longer.
Those plans were presented during a morning meeting at the White House with members of Biden’s national security team, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley.
She said commanders on the ground have been “empowered” to make adjustments they deem necessary, including on the American footprint at the Kabul airport.
CNN reported on Tuesday that troops had begun departing Kabul ahead of the deadline, and the Pentagon has said that time will be needed to pack up equipment and weapons ahead of next week’s deadline.
Psaki said the contingency plans amounted to an “ongoing discussion” that Biden has weighed during daily meetings with his national security team.
“These are incredibly serious issues and discussions happening internally,” she said.
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White House not putting cap on number of SIV applicants they hope to get out by Aug. 31
From CNN's Allie Malloy
(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told CNN’s Phil Mattingly that the White House does not have a cap on the number of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants they hope to get out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31.
Asked by Mattingly if the administration has a specific numbers of SIV applicants it wants to get out in order to deem the evacuation mission a success, Psaki said the administration has “never put a cap on the number.”
“We are continuing to work every day to get as many people evacuated as we can,” Psaki added.
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White House confirms it was not aware of recent Afghanistan trip made by 2 members of Congress
From CNN's Maegan Vazquez
(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday confirmed that the White House was not aware of a recent Afghanistan trip by two US Representatives “when they were en route.”
Reps. Seth Moulton and Peter Meijer, both Iraq War veterans, said in a recent joint statement that they secretly traveled to Afghanistan to see the situation themselves.
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Mexico receives more than 100 Afghan journalists and their families
From CNN's Karol Suarez
Mexico has received 124 Afghan nationals who requested humanitarian protection, Mexico’s foreign ministry announced Wednesday in press statement.
The group of Afghan nationals who arrived early Wednesday at Mexico City International Airport are made up of media workers and their families whose lives are in danger. The Foreign Ministry said travel and living costs during their stay in Mexico will be covered by private sponsors and civil society organizations.
“This decision is congruent with the historical position of Mexico,” Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said, “it’s about those who are risking their lives to inform, to communicate; who are committed to freedom of expression.”
“I received reporters and local staff members from many media who have applied for humanitarian visas to Mexico due to the latest events in Kabul, Afghanistan. They arrived with their families, 124 people in total, including minors, after 20 hours of flight,” Ebrard tweeted.
The director of International News for the New York Times, Michael Slackman, was among those who thanked Mexico for “the invaluable support provided to our Afghan colleagues and their families,” and highlighted “the rapid dispatch by Mexico’s government of safe transportation for journalists.”
Earlier, CNN reported that five women from Afghanistan’s renowned robotics team also arrived in Mexico on Tuesday.
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US secretary of state addresses relations with future Taliban-led government
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
(Alex Brandon/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that the United States has been dealing with the Taliban on facilitating getting US citizens and others out of Afghanistan, because “whether we like it or not,” the Taliban is “largely in control of the country” and that any future relationship with a Taliban-led government will be dependent on the actions of that government.
“There’s still talks and conversations underway even now between the Taliban and former members of the Afghan government with regard, for example, to a transfer of power and some inclusivity in a future government,” he continued.
“Going forward, we will judge our engagement with any Taliban-led government in Afghanistan based on one simple proposition: our interests and does it help us advance them or not. If engagement with the government can advance the enduring interest we will have in counterterrorism, the enduring interest we will have in trying to help the Afghan people who need humanitarian assistance, the enduring interest we have in seeing that the rights of all Afghans, especially women and girls, are upheld, then we’ll do it,” he said.
“But fundamentally, the nature of that engagement and the nature of any relationship, depends entirely on the actions and conduct of the Taliban,” Blinken added.
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Blinken: There is "no deadline" to help any American or ally who wants to leave Afghanistan
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
(Poo
Secretary of State Tony Blinken said the US is on track to complete its mission in Afghanistan by Aug. 31, but officials are making plans to provide support and facilitate departures after that date, as well.
“Let me be crystal clear about this: There is no deadline on our work to help any remaining American citizens who decide they want to leave to do so, along with the many Afghans who have stood by us over these many years and want to leave and have been unable to do so. That effort will continue every day past Aug. 31,” Blinken said.
He said the Taliban have made public and private commitments to allow safe passage for Americans and at-risk Afghans looking to leave Afghanistan.
“People who want to leave Afghanistan after the US military departs should be able to do so. Together, we will do everything we can to see that expectation is met,” Blinken said.
Blinken also underscored the danger of the current evacuation effort, noting that “we’re operating in a hostile environment in a city and country now controlled by the Taliban with the very real possibility of an ISIS-K attack.”
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State Department: Approximately 1,500 people who may be Americans left in Afghanistan
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
(Alex Brandon/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that there are approximately 1,500 people who may be Americans left in the country, and added that when evacuation operations began, there was a population of as many as 6,000 American citizens in Afghanistan who wanted to leave.
Blinken said the US has “evacuated at least 4,500 American citizens and likely more” since Aug. 14, and more than 500 were evacuated in the last day alone.
“Over the past 24 hours we’ve been in direct contact with approximately 500 additional Americans and provided specific instructions on how to get to the airport safely,” he said.
“For the remaining roughly 1,000 contacts that we had who may be Americans seeking to leave Afghanistan, we’re aggressively reaching out to them multiple times a day through multiple channels of communication,” Blinken said.
He noted that some may have left the country, some may not actually be Americans, and some may choose to stay.
He said the State Department believes “the number of Americans actively seeking to leave Afghanistan is lower, likely significantly lower,” but noted that they are “dynamic” calculations.
Blinken noted that Americans are not required to register with the State Department, making precise counts difficult.
A senior State Department officials said the department is reaching out “incessantly” to the group of 1,000 people believed to be Americans who may wish to leave Afghanistan, but “in many cases, we have not heard back from them.”
The official said they are “using every form of contact that we have to determine a few things: number one, if they are in fact American citizens. Number two, If they wish to leave, where they are, if they would be traveling with families and how we can help them.
They said not hearing back from the people “could mean any number of things.”
“It could mean that that is the person on the end of the line isn’t in fact, a passport holder. There was some error in the data. It could mean that they’ve already left, and we certainly expect that applies to a number of Americans,” the official said, noting the department had warned US citizens for months to leave Afghanistan.
“We are not going to leave anything to chance. That is why we are calling and re-calling, emailing and re-emailing this universe of individuals we believe may be American citizens who’re still in Afghanistan,” they said.
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More than 82,000 people have been flown out of Afghanistan, US secretary of state says
Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
(Source: Pool)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared some figures today about the ongoing efforts to get Americans and other allies out of Afghanistan.
Blinken added: “Only the United States could organize and execute a mission of this scale and this complexity.”
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NOW: Secretary of state speaks about US evacuations in Afghanistan
Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
(Source: Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is speaking now about US efforts to evacuate Americans from Afghanistan after his remarks originally scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET were delayed.
President Biden said Tuesday evening that he had asked Blinken to give the public “an update and a detailed report on exactly how many Americans are still in Afghanistan, how many we got out and what our projection is.”
White House officials have repeatedly said they do not know exactly how many Americans are in Afghanistan.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that the US doesn’t know the exact figure because some Americans entered the country without registering with the US Embassy in Kabul and others left the country without deregistering.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, during the Pentagon briefing on Wednesday morning, said at least 4,400 Americans had been evacuated but did not provide a total number of Americans who are still in need of evacuation.
Earlier today, the Pentagon announced that a total of 19,000 evacuees left Afghanistan in the last 24 hours, with 42 US military aircraft carrying 11,200 people and another 7,800 people evacuated by coalition partners.
The Pentagon said there are more than 10,000 people waiting at the airport to leave but that the number would change as more people arrive at the airport and as flights depart.
CNN’s Jason Hoffman, Nicole Gaouette and Jennifer Hansler contributed reporting to this post.
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Kabul airport evacuations "overwhelmed the US government for almost 2 weeks running," source says
From CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh
The evacuation efforts at Kabul airport are “an undertaking of historically massive proportions,” a source familiar with the current situation at Kabul airport tells CNN.
“The conditions at the Kabul airport are no better for the military than for the refugees,” the source continued. “Soldiers and Marines are working for days on end in 100-plus degree heat and terrible sanitary conditions with one meal per day. Staff have limited connectivity to exercise command and control, and are overwhelmed with special interest requests from Congress, the White House, and private organizations.”
There is a common misconception that state or defense personnel are able to easily “open the gate” to meet an individual or group, the source tells CNN. “As if the most heavily fortified airport in the world is nothing more than a backyard,” the source added.
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Tension continues outside of Kabul airport as many try to escape Afghanistan
From CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, Jennifer Z. Deaton, Jaide Timm-Garcia, and Hande Atay Alam
Afghans make their way through a flooded street towards a nearby airport entrance to try their chance at evacuating out of the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, August 25.
(Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)
As tension continues to grow in Afghanistan, so too does the chaos outside of Kabul’s international airport as time is running out for many to escape from the Taliban.
One video shared on social media shows a man who was purportedly beaten by the Taliban while he was trying to get to the airport. In the footage, the man can be seen with blood running down his face while talking to the camera saying partly in English, “They hit me bad” and that “this happened to me when I was crossing …. Airport.” In the same footage, gunshots can be heard purportedly fired by the Taliban to intimidate people.
Another social media video showed big crowds of people waiting outside the north wall at Kabul Airport, hoping to get into the airport and holding up their documents to the US military soldiers and Nato troops who were guarding the wall.
On Tuesday during a press conference, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said, “The road, which goes to the Airport, is blocked. Afghans cannot take that road to go to the airport, but foreign nationals are allowed to take that road to the airport.”
Some context: The Pentagon announced Wednesday that a total of 19,000 evacuees left Afghanistan in the last 24 hours, with 42 US Military aircraft carrying 11,200 and another 7,800 evacuated by coalition partners.
There are currently more than 10,000 people waiting at the airport to leave, but that the number could change as more people arrive at the airport and as flights depart, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations Army Maj. Gen. William “Hank” Taylor said in a briefing with reporters.
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Evacuation of Turkish armed forces from Afghanistan begins
From CNN's Isil Sariyuce
The Turkish Armed Forces has begun to evacuate from Kabul airport and return to Turkey after “successfully fulfilling the task entrusted to them,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement regarding Turkish soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
The ministry announced the decision came as a result of the assessment following “various meetings, current situation and conditions.”
Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin tweeted that “after fulfilling their duties in an excellent and honored way, Turkish soldiers in Afghanistan are returning home. Turkey will continue to work for the peace, security and prosperity of our Afghan brothers and sisters.”
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State Department: About 500 Americans contacted in past 24 hours and given instructions to depart
From CNN's Jake Tapper
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there are about 1,500 people who may be Americans left in the country and added that when evacuation operations began, there was a population of as many as 6,000 American citizens in Afghanistan who wanted to leave.
Blinken said the US has “evacuated at least 4,500 American citizens and likely more” since Aug. 14, and more than 500 were evacuated in the last day alone.
Blinken noted that some may have left the country, some may not actually be Americans and some may choose to stay. Blinken said Americans are not required to register with the State Department, making precise counts difficult.
The State Department believes “the number of Americans actively seeking to leave Afghanistan is lower, likely significantly lower,” but noted that they are “dynamic” calculations, Blinken added.
In a briefing to congressional staff earlier today, a Senate aide told CNN the State Department said that at least 4,100 American citizens are still actively seeking to get out of Afghanistan. The source said not all the Americans are located in and around Kabul.
President Biden said Tuesday he had asked Blinken to give the public “an update and a detailed report on exactly how many Americans are still in Afghanistan, how many we got out and what our projection is.”
Earlier today, the Pentagon announced that a total of 19,000 evacuees left Afghanistan in the last 24 hours, with 42 US military aircraft carrying 11,200 people and another 7,800 people evacuated by coalition partners.
The Pentagon said there are more than 10,000 people waiting at the airport to leave but that the number would change as more people arrive at the airport and as flights depart.
Update: This post has been updated to reflect the estimated number of American citizens who may be in Afghanistan as stated by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed reporting to this post.
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German envoy says Taliban agree to let Afghans travel after Aug. 31
From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite
The Taliban have agreed to let Afghan nationals with legal documents travel after Aug. 31, German Ambassador to Afghanistan Markus Potzel tweeted Wednesday.
Potzel met with Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Deputy Head of the Taliban’s political bureau, and his team “for a comprehensive discussion” in Doha on Tuesday, Potzel said.
They discussed an “urgent need” for a functioning airport in Kabul as a prerequisite for diplomatic and NGO presence in Afghanistan.
Some background: This comes one day after the Taliban said they were “not allowing the evacuation of Afghans anymore” and warned that the US must stick to next week’s deadline to pull out.
Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid told a press conference Tuesday that while foreign nationals could continue traveling to the airport, the huge crowds of Afghans that have gathered there in recent days should return home and would not face reprisals from the country’s new rulers.
“The road, which goes to the airport, is blocked. Afghans cannot take that road to go to the airport, but foreign nationals are allowed to take that road to the airport,” Mujahid said.
“We are not allowing the evacuation of Afghans anymore and we are not happy with it either,” he added.
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Afghan evacuees continue to arrive in New Jersey
From CNN's Kiely Westhoff
Task Force McGuire-Dix Airmen prepare personal protective equipment to aid in the arrival of Afghans in support of the Department of State-led Operation Allies Refuge on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, Aug. 21.
(Airman 1st Class Joseph Morales/U.S. Air Force)
Afghan evacuees are continuing to arrive at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, according to base media relations officials.
Chief of Media Relations Derek VanHorn said in a statement that arrivals began overnight on Tuesday and are expected to continue through the coming days.
VanHorn said the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is one of four military installations to temporarily house Afghan evacuees including bases in Wisconsin, Texas and Virginia.
The military installations are providing evacuees with temporary lodging, basic needs, transportation and medical screening services in a secure environment. The Department of Defense is working to build capacity at the existing military installations and potentially other locations, according to VanHorn.
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All Polish citizens who asked to leave Afghanistan have returned to Poland
From CNN's Robert Iddiols and Sharon Braithwaite
All Polish citizens who requested help to leave Afghanistan have arrived in Poland, the Polish ministry of foreign affairs said Wednesday.
Poland joined the international efforts to relocate personnel from partner nations and vulnerable Afghans. “The evacuation of Afghans and people of other nationalities is currently underway,” the ministry added.
The ministry also posted three photos to Twitter depicting the various stages of transit for those making the journey, accompanied with the hashtag #SolidarityPL.
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Blinken's speech today will focus on unprecedented effort to send Americans back to US, state official says
From CNN's Kylie Atwood
Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens as U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the military’s ongoing evacuation efforts in Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House on August 20 in Washington, DC.
(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Secretary of State Tony Blinken will speak about the historically unprecedented effort to repatriate Americans from Afghanistan and focus on what the department has done to provide tailored assistance to the Americans as an effort to get them out of the country, according to a senior State Department official.
President Biden said yesterday that Blinken will also give specific numbers on how many Americans are still in the country and want to get out.
“Tomorrow, I’ve asked Secretary Blinken to give you an update and a detailed report on exactly how many Americans are still in Afghanistan and how many we got out and what our projection is,” President Biden said yesterday.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said that 4,400 Americans had been evacuated but did not provide a total number of Americans that are still in need of evacuation, during the pentagon briefing on Wednesday morning.
Blinken will also speak about the enduring US commitment to Afghans. But when the US leaves the airport it will be incredibly challenging for Afghans to get out of the country, as the Taliban have said they will not allow them to leave the country and it is unclear if the Kabul airport will remain open.
The Biden administration is in touch with US allies about securing the Kabul airport and efforts to keep it up and running, the State Department official said. It is unclear if there will be any agreement to keep the airport open by the time the US military leaves.
Kirby said that how the airport is managed when the US leaves will be the responsibility of the Taliban. He noted that the Turks still have a presence at the airport, but said he did not want to speak to their intention going forward.
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Pentagon says US lawmakers' Afghanistan visit "took time away" from missions in Kabul
From CNN's Michael Conte
The Pentagon said that they were “unaware” of the decision by Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Rep. Peter Meijer, a Republican from Michigan, to visit Afghanistan and that their visit “took time away” from the missions US military forces were planning to conduct on the day of the visit.
Kirby added that they needed military protection while they were there, but that he didn’t know if they were taking seats that would’ve otherwise gone to evacuees when they left Kabul.
“They got a chance to talk to commanders, as I understand,” said Kirby. “They got a chance to talk to troops.”
Pentagon: No American troops and no known American citizens killed during evacuation in Kabul
From CNN's Ellie Kaufman
There have been no American troops killed during the non-combatant evacuation in Kabul of Americans and at-risk Afghans, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said during a briefing on Wednesday. Only one US troop service member has been injured during the evacuation effort, Kirby added.
No American citizens have been killed since the evacuation mission began on Aug. 14, Kirby said, but he also clarified the US military does not have “perfect visibility” into everything going on in Kabul.
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US used helicopters to bring people to Kabul airport Tuesday night, Pentagon says
From CNN's Ellie Kaufman
The US military conducted a third extraction operation by helicopter in Kabul on Tuesday night to bring a group of people from outside of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to the airport for evacuation, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby and Gen. Hank Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday.
Kirby said it was a group of about 20 people who were brought to the airport by helicopter, but would not provide further details about the operation.
"Lives will always be the priority" throughout evacuation process, Pentagon says
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby.
(Source: Pool)
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby made clear that lives would always take priority over any military equipment or artillery as the US hurries to meet next week’s Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.
“As we get closer to the end, there will be some equipment and systems that we will probably take with us as we leave … but lives will always be the chief priority throughout this entire process,” he continued.
Asked by a reporter if that referred to lives of all nationalities, Kirby said: “Lives will always be the priority throughout this process.”
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Pentagon outlines how US evacuation efforts in Afghanistan will unfold during final days of mission
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby.
(Source: Pool)
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby described how the US plans to carry out evacuation efforts as the country prepares to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in less than a week.
He noted that in the “last couple of days” the US will try to preserve “as much capability as we can at the airport” and begin to shift priorities to get US military assets out.
“We will begin to prioritize military capabilities and military resources to move out. That doesn’t mean that if you’re an evacuee and you need to get out, that we’re not going to try to get you out, but we will have to reserve some capacity in those last couple of days to prioritize the military footprint leaving because we want to be able to keep it there as long as possible to do the job that it’s intended to do,” Kirby added.
Kirby made clear that lives would always take priority over any military equipment or artillery as the US hurries to meet the withdrawal deadline.
President Biden said Tuesday the US is on track to complete its airlift in Afghanistan by Aug. 31. Biden recognized the success of the mission will depend largely on cooperation from the Taliban.
He said he’s asked military leaders to be ready with contingency options to “adjust that timetable” if it becomes necessary.
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About 1,200 evacuees landed in DC in the past 24 hours
Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor.
(Source: Pool)
Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, the vice director for logistics of the Joint Staff, said about 1,200 evacuees from Afghanistan have landed in the Washington, DC, area in the past day.
Pentagon: Every 39 minutes yesterday a plane carrying evacuees departed Kabul airport
Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor.
(Source: Pool)
Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, the vice director for logistics of the Joint Staff, said that the US military and its allied partners have evacuated 19,000 in a 24-hour period.
He said that 90 flights total left the Kabul airport yesterday.
He said that there are “more than 10,000 people currently” at the airport awaiting departure.
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Taliban tell working women to stay at home until security is in place
From CNN’s Rob Picheta and Zahid Mahmood
Burqa clad Afghan women shop at a market area in Kabul on August 23.
(Hoshang Hashimi/AFP/Getty Images)
Working women in Afghanistan should stay at home until sufficient security is in place to ensure their safety, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said at a news conference on Tuesday.
In response to a question about women from government ministries and office workers not being able to enter buildings, Mujahid said the Taliban will come up with specific procedures to ensure women’s safety and that they are not “treated in a disrespectful way,” or “God forbid, hurt.”
“So we would like them to stay home until security is in place for them in the offices,” he said.
Mujahid added that this is a “temporary policy” whilst they come up with specific procedures to protect them as their soldiers “keep changing and are not trained.”
When asked why men are allowed to go to government offices and not women and if there is any plan for females to return to ministries, Mujahid said that it is not that women are not allowed but “all ministries are under [Taliban] control” and “ministries are public property.”
“We are happy for them to enter the buildings but we want to make sure they do not face any worries,” he said.
Why this matters: When last in power between 1996 and 2001 the militant group banned women from the workplace, stopped them from leaving the home unaccompanied and forced them to cover their entire bodies.
The group has insisted its new era in charge will be more moderate, but Taliban leaders have refused to guarantee women’s rights will not be stripped back and many have already faced violence.
The World Bank announced Tuesday it is halting financial support to Afghanistan amid worries about the fate of women under Taliban rule, dealing another blow to an economy that relies heavily on foreign aid.
“We are deeply concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and the impact on the country’s development prospects, especially for women,” World Bank spokesperson Marcela Sanchez-Bender said in a statement to CNN.
UK has evacuated more than 10,000 people from Afghanistan since Aug. 13
From CNN's Sarah Dean
The UK Ministry of Defence says it has evacuated more than 10,000 people from Afghanistan since Aug. 13.
“Our Armed Forces continue to bring home civilians from Afghanistan. Last night, another flight arrived at RAF Brize Norton from Kabul Airport. Thanks to our continued efforts on Op PITTING, we have now evacuated over 10,000 people since 13 August,” the Ministry tweeted Wednesday morning.
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"We must not and will not forget Afghanistan," German Chancellor Angela Merkel says
From CNN’s James Briggs
German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks at the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, about the current situation in Afghanistan on August 25, in Berlin.
(Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers Wednesday the country will still try to help Afghans who worked with its soldiers and aid organizations to leave Afghanistan even after the Aug. 31 evacuation deadline.
Addressing the German parliament, the chancellor said she was aware of how “bitter” the situation is, but “I am also aware that many things in history require a great deal of staying power.”
Merkel said “we must not and will not forget Afghanistan, even if it does not seem like it at this bitter hour.” Going on to say Germany supports the belief that “no violence and no ideology can permanently stop people’s drive for freedom, for justice and for peace.”
Merkel set out three points:
“First: We are continuing the evacuation operation for as long as possible to enable Afghans who have worked with us in terms of security, freedom and the rule of law and development to leave the country.”
“Secondly, we are supporting the United Nations aid organizations in providing emergency supplies to the people of Afghanistan, and in particular the United Nations Refugee Agency in providing supplies to Afghans who have fled to the countries in the immediate vicinity. We will also work for this within the European Union.”
“And thirdly, we are not afraid to hold talks with the Taliban in order to be able to preserve some of what has benefited the people of Afghanistan over the last 20 years and to continue to protect people after the evacuation.”
Speaking about the years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Merkel said “It was the fight against terror emanating from Afghanistan that prompted us to start the mission of the German armed forces in Afghanistan after the U.S. had asked NATO for assistance under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. Out of solidarity with our American allies, but also for our own security.”
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During chaos of Taliban takeover, Covid-19 vaccinations in Afghanistan decline 80%
From CNN's Amy Cassidy
Doctor Roheed Mureed vaccinates Afghans with the J&J vaccine at the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital on July 14 in Kabul.
(Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
There has been a 80% decline in Covid-19 vaccinations in Afghanistan in the first week since the Taliban took over, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
From Aug. 15 – the day the Taliban seized the capital city of Kabul – to Aug. 19, 30,500 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in 23 provinces. In comparison, 134,600 people were vaccinated across 30 provinces from Aug. 8 to 12, the organization said.
Almost two million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines in the country expire by Nov. 2021, the statement continued.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said all health services would resume and he called on doctors to go back to work.
Afghanistan has administered a total of 1,201,286 vaccine doses, according to the latest data available from the World Health Organization published Tuesday.
Since January 2020, the country has reported a total of 152,600 cases of Covid-19 and 7,083 deaths.
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US concerned about "very specific threat stream" from ISIS-K outside Kabul airport
From CNN's Jim Sciutto and Tim Lister
In this handout photo provided by the White House, President Joe Biden meets with his national security team for an operational update on the situation in Afghanistan on August 22 at the White House in Washington. They discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and counterterrorism operations, including ISIS-K.
(The White House/Getty Images)
Concerns about security around Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul have increased based on “a very specific threat stream” from ISIS-K about planned attacks against crowds outside the airport, a US defense official has told CNN.
The US believes ISIS-K, which is a sworn enemy of the Taliban, wants to create mayhem at the airport and has intelligence streams suggesting it is capable and planning to carry out multiple attacks, according to the official.
On Tuesday, as he confirmed his decision not to extend the evacuation deadline beyond Aug. 31, President Biden acknowledged the growing threat the group poses to the airport.
Additionally, concerns increased after more than 100 prison inmates loyal to the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan escaped from two prisons near Kabul as the Taliban advanced on the Afghan capital, CNN has learned.
One regional counter-terrorism source told CNN that as many as several hundred members of ISIS-K may have escaped from the jails at Bagram and Pul-e-Charkhi, both to the east of Kabul. Both prisons fell to the Taliban shortly before they entered Kabul.
A Taliban spokesperson would not address reports of the escapes when asked by CNN Wednesday, saying only they were not confirmed
As for the risk of terrorist attacks at and around the airport, a Taliban spokesman said Tuesday: “There have been reports that some ill-wishers want to disrupt the security situation there by attacking and harming people and the media. So don’t close to the airport to avoid being hurt.”
According to officials in the previous government, there were approximately 5,000 inmates at the Bagram facility when the US left it in July. They included members of the Taliban, al Qaeda and ISIS as well as ordinary criminals.
Who is ISIS-K? ISIS-Khorasan is a branch of the terror group that first emerged in Syria and Iraq. While the affiliates share an ideology and tactics, the depth of their relationship with regards to organization and command and control has never been entirely established.
US intelligence officials previously told CNN the ISIS-K membership includes “a small number of veteran jihadists from Syria and other foreign terrorist fighters,” saying that the US had identified 10 to 15 of their top operatives in Afghanistan. The group’s name comes from its terminology for the area that includes Afghanistan and Pakistan: “Khorasan.”
The US Defense Department Inspector-General for Afghanistan (SIGAR) said in a report covering the months April to June of this year that “ISIS-Khorasan exploited the political instability and rise in violence during the quarter by attacking minority sectarian targets and infrastructure to spread fear and highlight the Afghan government’s inability to provide adequate security.”
ISIS-K has formed cells in Kabul which have carried out a number of devastating suicide attacks in and beyond the Afghan capital since 2016.
The group has built up a presence in eastern Afghanistan in recent years, especially in the provinces of Nangahar and Kunar. Last August, the group attacked the main prison in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangahar, in an effort to free dozens of their supporters who had been captured by the Afghan army and police.
Norway has evacuated 278 more people from Afghanistan, the government said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the country has now rescued a total of 652 people on nine flights.
Two planes landed at Oslo Gardermoen airport Wednesday morning with a total of 278 passengers from Afghanistan. The passengers include both Norwegian citizens and others who qualify for entry, as well as Afghans in need of protection, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide said in the statement.
The statement adds that on board the aircrafts there were no unaccompanied minors.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with full force together with the Armed Forces, the police and the immigration and health authorities to be able to help as many people as possible to leave Kabul. This includes both Norwegian citizens and persons with a valid residence permit and Afghan citizens in need of protection,” the statement reads.
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UK civilian evacuations from Kabul need to wrap within 48 hours, ex-British army head says
From CNN's Zahid Mahmood
Passengers repatriated from Afghanistan disembark from an RAF Airbus KC2 Voyager aircraft after landing at RAF Brize Norton, southern England, on August 17.
(Mark Large/Pool/Getty Images)
UK troops will need to have the final civilian evacuations from Kabul wrapped up within 48 hours, David Richards, the former head of the British armed forces, said on Wednesday.
When asked if British troops would have to finalize plans within the next few days after President Biden reiterated US troops will pull out by Aug. 31, Richards told BBC Radio 4 “give or take, yes” as the Aug. 31 deadline is fast approaching.
“It depends how much they are prepared to leave and what they took in with them,” Richards said.
Richards added that even if the final evacuees left within 48 hours, there will be instances of “sneaking others in who arrived late,” but said that he is “pretty certain” of the timescale.
British newspaper The Guardian reported Wednesday, citing defense sources, that Britain’s evacuation from Kabul is expected to end within “24 to 36 hours,” after the Taliban said they do not want Afghans traveling to the airport. CNN has contacted the UK Ministry of Defence.
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said the US is on track to complete its hurried airlift in Afghanistan by Aug. 31.
“We are currently on a pace to finish by August 31. I am determined to complete our mission,” Biden said in a speech at the White House.
Still, he said meeting that deadline “depends on the Taliban continuing to cooperate and allow access to the airport to those who are transporting out and no disruptions to our operation.”
“The sooner we finish the better,” Biden said. “Each day of operations brings added risk to our troops.”
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First US troops have started leaving Afghanistan as withdrawal deadline looms
From CNN's Oren Liebermann and Paul LeBlanc
US soldiers stand guard behind barbed wire as Afghans sit on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on August 20.
(Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images)
Several hundred US troops left Afghanistan on Tuesday – the same day President Biden decided not to extend the Aug. 31 evacuation deadline – Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirmed Tuesday evening.
The fact that a small number of American troops have already left underlines how quickly the situation is moving. The pace of evacuations has rapidly ramped up in recent days but with a week until Biden’s deadline, the US military will soon be forced to switch from transporting Americans and Afghans out to concentrating on safely moving all the troops out and winding down the security operation at the airport.
“So far, the reduction does not affect the mission,” one of the officials said, adding that the commander on the ground can decide what military personnel are in units that are no longer required. That decision can be based on a few factors, including the number of gates open at the airport, the number of people coming through and more.
“If you can have a smaller mission set and still conduct the mission, then you can reduce your footprint and reduce your risk,” the official said.
The Pentagon has been acutely aware of the threat posed by ISIS-K and other terror groups around the airport, developing alternate routes to the field for US citizens and Afghan evacuees. In addition, the Taliban have stated openly that they do not want a US military presence in Afghanistan beyond the end of August, warning that there will be “consequences” were the US to stay longer.
In remarks to an emergency meeting of the G7 on Tuesday, Biden said the threat to US troops in Kabul was one of the key reasons he was sticking to the end of the month as the final withdrawal date.
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Secretary of state will speak today about US efforts to evacuate Americans from Afghanistan
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
Secretary State Antony Blinken departs from a briefing with the House of Representatives on the situation in Afghanistan at the U.S. Capitol on August 24 in Washington.
(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President Biden said in remarks Tuesday evening that he had asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken to give the public “an update and a detailed report on exactly how many Americans are still in Afghanistan, how many we got out and what our projection is.”
Blinken tweeted that he will speak at 12:15 p.m. ET Wednesday “about our efforts to bring Americans home and how we’re supporting the broader evacuation from Afghanistan.”
White House officials have repeatedly said they do not know exactly how many Americans are in Afghanistan.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that the US doesn’t know the exact figure because some Americans entered the country without registering with the US Embassy in Kabul and others left the country without deregistering.
Despite that, Sullivan said it is the responsibility of the American government to find those Americans, something he insisted the US is doing.
According to a source familiar with an administration “SitRep” report from Tuesday morning, the State Department has contacted all Americans who were registered in Afghanistan and instructed them to report to designated locations for evacuation.
CNN’s Jason Hoffman, Nicole Gaouette and Jennifer Hansler contributed reporting to this post.
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Biden says he'll stick to the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline. Here's where evacuations stand now.
President Joe Biden arrives to speak about the situation in Afghanistan from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington on Tuesday, August 24.
(Susan Walsh/AP)
President Biden has decided not to extend the deadline for American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, despite pressure from G7 and US leaders alike. Biden said his decision to stick to the Aug. 31 deadline is in large part driven by persistent security risks.
In late afternoon remarks at the White House Tuesday, Biden recognized the success of the mission will depend largely on cooperation from the Taliban. He said he’s asked military leaders to be ready with contingency options to “adjust that timetable” if it becomes necessary.
“The sooner we finish the better,” Biden added. “Each day of operations brings added risk to our troops.”
About 19,000 people were evacuated from Afghanistan on Tuesday, including 11,200 evacuees on US military flights and 7,800 on coalition flights, according to a White House official.
That’s down slightly from the day prior, when the US reported 21,000 people were evacuated from the Kabul airport: 12,700 evacuees on military flights, plus 8,900 people on coalition flights.
