U.S. military takes control of Kabul airport, aims to evacuate 5,000 civilians a day
The U.S. military took control of air traffic at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport and secured the airport's perimeter, the Pentagon and State Department said late Sunday, as thousands of Americans, foreign nationals, and Afghans jostled to leave the country, now effectively under Taliban control. President Biden has ordered about 6,000 U.S. troops to secure the airport and aid the evacuation, and the full contingent of U.S. forces is set to arrive within 48 hours, the joint statement said.
"Tomorrow and over the coming days, we will be transferring out of the country thousands of American citizens who have been resident in Afghanistan, as well as locally employed staff of the U.S. mission in Kabul and their families, and other particularly vulnerable Afghan nationals," the Pentagon and State Department said. All U.S. Embassy staff were moved to the airport Sunday, and U.S. officials say they are working to accelerate the evacuation of Afghans who helped the U.S. and are eligible for Special Immigrant Visas.
"The Pentagon intends to have enough aircraft to fly out as many as 5,000 civilians a day, both Americans and the Afghan translators and others who worked with the U.S. during the war," The Associated Press reports. "But tens of thousands of Afghans who have worked with U.S. and other NATO forces are seeking to flee with family members. And it was by no means clear how long Kabul's deteriorating security would allow any evacuations to continue."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
There are about 88,000 Afghans eligible for SIVs who could need to be evacuated, and only about 2,000 have arrived in the U.S. over the past two weeks, The Washington Post reports. The Pentagon has plans to relocate up to 30,000 SIV applicants to the U.S. in the immediate future while their applications are processed, Fox News reported Sunday night, citing Defense Department documents.
"Once we get more airlift out of Kabul, we're going to put as many people on those planes as we can," and "not just American citizens, but perhaps some Afghan SIV applicants as well," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Fox News. "We're going to focus on getting people out of the country, then sorting it out at the next stop." He added that "we're going to be in oversight of the air operations at the airport for as long as we can."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Who are undecided voters, anyway?
Talking Points They might decide the presidential election
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Wildlife populations drop a 'catastrophic' 73%
Speed Read The decline occurred between 1970 and 2020
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona kicks off swing-state early voting
Speed Read The voting began with less than a month to go before the presidential election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
By The Week UK Published
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published