US helicopters evacuated Americans from an area outside Kabul Airport – PRAVDA.sk

The U.S. military in Afghanistan has deployed three helicopters to rescue 169 Americans who failed to reach the gate at Kabul Airport to leave the country. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, quoted by the AFP news agency, reported on Friday.

US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft ready to evacuate people from Afghanistan’s airport in Kabul.

Boeing CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters lifted a group of American citizens in front of the Baron Hotel, which is located near Kabul Airport. This is the first proof that US forces are willing and able to go outside the United States secured airport to help people seeking evacuation.

The group planned to move to the airport gate called Abbey Gate, but a crowd gathered there and US officials feared the safety of the Americans.

“A large crowd was formed at Abbey Gate, which not everyone trusted, so the local commanders took the initiative and used these helicopters to lift the group,” Kirby said. US President Joe Biden mentioned the event earlier in his speech, but provided only a few details.

Ever since US troops took control of the airport a week ago to facilitate the transportation of potentially tens of thousands of people, they have avoided moving outside the airport complex to avoid provoking skirmishes with members of the country’s radical Taliban movement.

The Pentagon claims that the US commander at the airport is in frequent contact with the local Taliban commander to facilitate access to evacuation planes for Americans and Afghans with US visas.