U.S. sending 1,000 more troops to evacuate embassy staff from Kabul


With Taliban fighters now in Kabul, the Pentagon is sending an addition 1,000 troops to Afghanistan's capital in order to evacuate U.S. Embassy personnel.
Taliban militants, fresh off of wins in other major cities and provincial capitals, entered Kabul on Sunday, causing Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee. Taliban members have settled in the presidential palace, conducting interviews with international journalists from inside.
The U.S. flag has been lowered from the embassy building, The Washington Post reports, and personnel, including acting U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ross Wilson have been moved to Kabul's airport. Before they left the embassy, workers rushed to burn sensitive documents. There are still 4,000 or so embassy staffers — U.S. citizens and Afghan nationals — waiting to fly out of the country, two defense officials told CNN.
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.
Amid reports on Sunday afternoon that the airport was coming under fire, the U.S. Embassy instructed U.S. citizens in Afghanistan to shelter in place. A U.S. defense official with knowledge of the situation told the Post that as of Sunday evening, the Taliban has not launched any attacks against the airport, but the scene is still chaotic.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summit
Speed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Israeli security cabinet OKs Gaza City takeover
Speed Read Netanyahu approved a proposal for Israeli Defense Forces to take over the largest population center in the Gaza Strip
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'