State Department urges US citizens in Afghanistan to leave 'immediately'
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/...-citizens-leave
by Mike Brest, Defense Reporter |
| August 07, 2021 11:59 AM


The State Department says all U.S. citizens should leave Afghanistan “immediately" as the Taliban advance.

A directive issued on Saturday by the U.S. Embassy in Kabul calls on citizens of the United States to leave “using available commercial fight options” because they are “extremely limited” in their “ability to assist” due to “the security conditions and reduced staffing.”

The State Department ordered U.S. government employees working for the Kabul embassy who can work remotely to leave the country on April 27. The government’s advisory for Afghanistan remains at "Level 4: Do Not Travel" due to "crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict and COVID-19."

Taliban forces continue to conduct violent attacks against Afghan officials and civilians alike as U.S. troops withdraw from the country.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki condemned the Taliban for the violence on Friday afternoon, which coincided with the militant group capturing their first provincial capital and a successful assassination of Dawa Khan Menapal, the head of the -- excerpt, rest at link above --

Pentagon sends 3,000 troops BACK to Afghanistan to evacuate Americans and won't say whether US will stay past August 31: State Dept announces Kabul embassy drawdown as Taliban captures 11 cities

Pentagon is sending troops back into Afghanistan to help evacuate some personnel from the US embassy amid the Taliban's surging encroachment on the capital city of Kabul
Diplomats are weighing how soon they could have to totally evacuate the US embassy, where some 4,000 are employed
The State Department last week warned US citizens to get out of the war-ravaged nation immediately
Taliban have now seized control of 11 provincial capitals, two-thirds of the nation
Taliban fighters are going door-to-door and forcing young women in captured areas into sex slavery and executing Afghan forces who surrender

By Morgan Phillips, Politics Reporter For Dailymail.Com and Chris Pleasance
Published: 12:41 EDT, 12 August 2021 | Updated: 16:58 EDT, 12 August 2021


The Pentagon is sending 3,000 troops back into Afghanistan to help evacuate some personnel from the US embassy amid the Taliban's surging encroachment on the capital city of Kabul.

Those 3,000 troops, part of three infantry battalions, are in addition to the over 650 US service members still currently stationed in Afghanistan.

Another 3,500 to 4,000 reserve forces will be stationed in Kuwait on standby, and another 1,000 will go to Qatar to help with Special Immigrant Visa processing.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said: 'We believe this is it the prudent thing to do given the rapidly deteriorating security situation in and around Kabul.'

The latest move follows furious criticism of the Biden's administration troop withdrawal that has allowed the Taliban to run rampant across the country and capture 11 provincial capitals in a week. There are also reports the terrorists are executing Afghan troops the US left to try and stop the government from being overrun.

Kirby said the mission is to reduce the civilian personnel presence at the US embassy in Kabul by the end of the month. He said he wouldn't speculate what the military 'footprint' would look like in Afghanistan beyond August 31. However, he said President Biden's Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw US forces still stands.

Kirby specified the new deployment was part of a 'narrowly-focused mission of safeguarding' but refused to say whether the 3,000 troops would be included in that deadline. -- excerpt, rest at link above --