Biden says U.S. has expanded 'safe zone' and 'increased rational access' to Kabul airport

President Biden said Sunday that 11,000 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan through Kabul's international airport since Saturday morning, for a total of 28,000 people evacuated since Aug. 14, one day before the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital. "We see no reason why this tempo will not be kept up," though there's still "a long way to go" and "a lot could still go wrong," Biden said, adding, "Any American who wants to get home, will get home."

U.S. troops and civilians at the airport "face the risk of attack" from Afghanistan's Islamic State faction, ISIS-K, "even though we're moving back the perimeter significantly," Biden said. "We're working hard and as fast as we can to get people out. That's our mission. That's our goal." The U.S. has expanded a "safe zone" at the airport, he said, adding that he won't "talk about the tactical changes we're making to make sure we maintain as much security as we can."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

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.