U.S. troops start arriving in Kabul to evacuate embassy workers as Taliban seize main cities

U.S. Marines have begun arriving in Kabul to assist safe the evacuation of embassy workers because the Taliban offensive sweeps by way of Afghanistan, the Pentagon mentioned Friday.

In simply the previous day, mIlitants have captured two of the nation’s largest cities, and they look like making an attempt to isolate Kabul earlier than launching an offensive there, mentioned Protection Division spokesman John Kirby.

In response to the worsening safety state of affairs, two battalions of Marines and a battalion of Military troopers began arriving within the capital metropolis on Friday to help the State Division, Kirby informed reporters at a Pentagon press briefing in Washington.

The battalions are anticipated to be in place by the tip of the weekend, and will likely be able to supporting the evacuation of a number of thousand individuals a day, each U.S. residents and Afghan nationals.

In the meantime, the State Division has instructed staff in Kabul to start destroying “delicate materials,” together with gadgets that includes embassy logos or the American flag.

A State Division spokesperson informed CNN that offering burn bins to workers for incinerating paperwork was “commonplace working process” for a “drawdown.”

Taliban militants captured Kandahar, the second-most populous metropolis within the nation, in addition to the third-largest metropolis of Herat, NBC Information reported Friday, citing a Taliban spokesman and native Afghan officers.

The insurgents have now seized a minimum of half of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals, taking management of roughly two-thirds of the nation and encircling Kabul, the place the U.S. Embassy is getting ready to evacuate all however its core diplomatic personnel.

Kirby insisted the U.S. navy had not been caught without warning on the pace of the Taliban’s developments, however that it stays “involved” by the tempo of navy features.

He famous that the Afghan Nationwide Military battling Taliban forces on the frontlines is best skilled and higher outfitted than the Taliban, due to many years of U.S. coaching and billions of {dollars} price of American weapons.

President Joe Biden, who in April introduced that each one U.S. forces within the area can be withdrawn by Sept. 11, on Thursday ordered 3,000 troops be quickly deployed to the capital to assist evacuate embassy personnel. The troops are anticipated to reach inside 24 to 48 hours.

Afghan authorities safety forces have crumpled and lots of civilians have fled their houses amid the Taliban’s surprisingly swift advance towards the nation’s energy middle.

However the White Home on Friday morning mentioned Biden stands by his resolution to finish the U.S. presence in Afghanistan after practically 20 years of combating within the wake of the 9/11 terrorist assaults.

“The President is firmly targeted on how we will proceed to execute an orderly drawdown and shield our women and men serving in Afghanistan,” White Home press secretary Jen Psaki mentioned in an announcement.

“You heard him earlier this week: he doesn’t remorse his resolution,” Psaki mentioned.

Along with the deployment of three infantry battalions from the Marines and Military to Kabul, a U.S. infantry brigade will likely be positioned on standby in Kuwait. One other 1,000-member unit comprising Military and Air Drive personnel will deploy to Qatar to assist course of particular immigrant visas for Afghan nationals who assisted U.S. and NATO troops in the course of the battle.

However, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby mentioned Thursday that the U.S. nonetheless expects to totally withdraw all troops by the tip of August.

Britain mentioned Thursday it would ship about 600 troops to assist its residents go away Afghanistan, the place about 4,000 U.Ok. nationals are believed to be stationed. Canada can be deploying particular forces to the nation to evacuate workers within the Canadian Embassy in Kabul.

— CNBC’s Christina Wilkie and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.