Afghanistan, Pentagon: “Objective to close US mission on 31 August”

The United States is “well aware of the declared desire of the Taliban to see the” US in Afghanistan “mission completed by 31 August” and “we too want to complete the mission by 31 August”. Thus the Pentagon spokesman, John Kirby, during the press briefing answered a question on the “red line” set by the Taliban for the end of the evacuation operations from Kabul airport and the definitive withdrawal of US troops. Read also The effort to “ensure” that access to Kabul airport remains “smooth” and “safe” requires that “the lines of communication with the Taliban remain open”. This was reported by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby during the press briefing. This communication, he added, has so far “worked well”. The airlift from Kabul airport “is working” and the US “remains focused on the end of the month” for the end of the evacuation operations. Kirby explained that if it becomes necessary to advise President Joe Biden on an “extension” of the August 31 deadline, the military will do so, but at the moment the “target” remains the end of August. currently over 230 aircraft. Evacuation flights are expected to “increase significantly” in the next few hours in order to meet the August 31 deadline. sources from the Pentagon quoted by the Defense One website report. There will be a “significant increase in the number of transport aircraft going there and in the volume and pace” of their operations, the source said. To date, over 30,000 people have been evacuated from the Kabul airport via the airlift set up by the US Air Force. The airport is currently controlled by Marines and soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. It is estimated that there are still 20,000 people trying to board US flights near Kabul airport. Thousands of other US citizens and Afghans are still trapped in areas controlled by the Taliban. The US, Kirby admitted, does not have an “inventory” of the equipment, weapons and means available to the Afghan army and which could now be be “at risk” of falling into the hands of the Taliban. However, before the surrender of Afghan forces to the Taliban, a large amount of equipment, weapons and resources had been withdrawn from the country, or destroyed.