U.S. evacuates 37,000 from Afghanistan as Taliban calls Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline ‘pink line’

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon stated Monday that the U.S. has evacuated or helped to get roughly 37,000 individuals out of Afghanistan since Aug. 14, with about 10,400 of them airlifted out over the weekend.

The weekend tally represents an obvious acceleration within the navy’s colossal efforts to relocate as many individuals as potential amid a Taliban takeover. As well as, coalition forces evacuated roughly 5,900 individuals over the weekend.

For the reason that finish of July, the U.S. has relocated roughly 42,000 individuals. There are nonetheless a number of thousand Individuals believed to be awaiting evacuation, based on the State Division.

The Pentagon stated evacuees are flying from Kabul to short-term safe-haven places throughout the Center East and Europe, together with U.S. installations in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Italy, Spain and Germany.

Afghan nationals arriving in america shall be housed at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, Fort Lee in Virginia, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and Fort Bliss in Texas.

Military Gen. Steve Lyons, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, instructed reporters Monday that almost 200 plane have been devoted to the evacuation effort in some capability.

“So, after I say we’re all in. I imply it,” Lyons stated, including he was assured the U.S. navy would be capable of improve its present departure tempo.

The most recent replace on evacuation efforts comes as U.S. and NATO coalition forces rush to airlift 1000’s of individuals in a foreign country forward of a self-imposed deadline to depart Afghanistan in eight days.

President Joe Biden has beforehand stated he might contemplate extending the departure date previous Aug. 31 however has but to take action.

A Taliban spokesman instructed Sky Information that the group is not going to settle for such an extension.

“It is a pink line. President Biden introduced that on 31 August they might withdraw all their navy forces. So in the event that they lengthen it which means they’re extending occupation whereas there isn’t any want for that,” Suhail Shaheen stated, based on the report.

“If the U.S. or U.Ok. have been to hunt extra time to proceed evacuations, the reply is not any. Or there can be penalties,” he added.

When requested in regards to the Taliban warning, nationwide safety advisor Jake Sullivan instructed reporters that Biden was assessing the scenario “day-to-day” and added that “the president will make his personal determinations” on a possible extension.

The State Division reiterated the U.S. would maintain the Taliban accountable if the group didn’t honor its dedication to supply secure passage to evacuees touring to the airport.

“The Taliban has agreed to supply secure passage to Individuals, third-country nationals, and to Afghans who need to go away, spokesman Ned Value instructed reporters on the State Division. “Collectively we are going to maintain them accountable if they don’t,” he added.

Sullivan downplayed criticisms that america had botched its withdrawal from Afghanistan given the rushed navy evacuations and panicked scenes on the airport.

“What I see is america securing an airfield on the threat of a number of thousand American troops to facilitate not simply the evacuation of Individuals, however to facilitate the evacuation of third-country nationals from pals and foes alike, and to facilitate the evacuation of tens of 1000’s of people that for humanitarian causes, need to go away Afghanistan,” Sullivan stated.

“This is a gigantic logistical, diplomatic, safety humanitarian enterprise. There isn’t a different nation on the planet who might pull one thing like this off, bar none,” he added.

On the Pentagon, Protection Division spokesman John Kirby stated the “focus is on getting this achieved by the tip of the month.”

“We’re effectively conscious of the said want by the Taliban to have this mission accomplished by the 31st of August, I’ll let you know that we’re nonetheless planning on finishing it by the 31st of August. That’s the mission that has been signed by the commander in chief and assigned to us and that is what we’re making an attempt to execute,” Kirby added.

Earlier on Monday, the U.S. navy confirmed a short firefight broke out at one gate into Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport.

Navy Capt. William City, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command — the combatant command that oversees American navy operations within the area — stated the incident “appeared to start when an unknown hostile actor fired upon Afghan safety forces.”

He added no American or NATO coalition forces have been injured.