Biden won’t change date to remove troops
US military turns up evacuation efforts
President Joe Biden decided to keep his Aug. 31 deadline for completing the U.S.-led evacuation from Afghanistan, an administration official said Tuesday.
It was unclear whether the airlift from Kabul could get out all American citizens and others by Tuesday. Pressure from U.S. allies, lawmakers, veterans groups and refugee organizations has grown for Biden to extend the date. Biden asked his national security team to create contingency plans in case the deadline needed to be extended slightly, the official said.
The U.S. evacuated about 21,600 people in the 24-hour period that ended early Tuesday, the White House said. That is the highest amount yet.
– President Joe Biden has decided to stick with his Aug. 31 deadline for completing the U.S.-led evacuation from Afghanistan, an administration official said Tuesday. The decision reflects in part the U.S. military’s concern about heightened security threats to the massive airlift that began 10 days ago.
“Every day we’re on the ground is another day that we know ISIS-K is seeking to target the airport and attack both us and allied forces and innocent civilians,” Biden said at the White House, referring to the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate, which is known for staging suicide attacks on civilians.
He said the Taliban are cooperating and security is holding despite a number of violent incidents. “But it’s a tenuous situation,” he said, adding, “We run a serious risk of it breaking down as time goes on.”
Pressure from U.S. allies and Democratic and Republican lawmakers, veterans groups and refugee organizations has grown for Biden to extend his deadline, which he set well before the Taliban completed its lightning takeover of Afghanistan on Aug. 15.
It remains unclear if the airlift from Kabul’s international airport can get out all American citizens and other foreigners by then, as well as former military and translators and other at-risk Afghans who fear for their lives under Taliban rule.
Biden asked his national security team to create contingency plans in case a situation arose for which the deadline needed to be extended slightly, the official said.
In Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the U.S. must stick to its self-imposed deadline, saying “after that we won’t let Afghans be taken out” on evacuation flights.
He also said the Taliban would bar Afghans from accessing roads to the airport, while allowing foreigners to pass in order to prevent large crowds from massing.
The U.S. has repeatedly stressed the risk of continuing the airlift, due to threats of violence by the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate. Germany’s top military commander, Gen. Eberhard Zorn, said Tuesday the U.S. and Germany were particularly concerned about ISIS suicide bombers possibly slipping into crowds in Kabul.
The U.S. ramped up its round-theclock airlift of evacuees from Afghanistan to its highest level yet on Tuesday. About 21,600 people were flown out in the 24-hour period, the White House said. That compares with about 16,000 the previous day.
Chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the military will need “at least several days” to fully withdraw its several thousand troops and their equipment from Kabul. He said commanders are still aiming to leave by Aug. 31. He said there is enough time to get all Americans out but was less specific about completing the evacuation of all at-risk Afghans.
“We believe we have the ability to get that done by the end of the month,” he said, referring to the unspecified number of American citizens who are seeking to leave. He said several hundred were evacuated on Monday and that “several thousand” have gotten out since the airlift began.