Long lines of people looking to flee Afghanistan filled Kabul's airport on Sunday, as helicopters flew over the city and evacuation efforts were underway amid as the Taliban seized control of the presidential palace.
, as chaos continues after Afghanistan's president fled the country over the weekend and the Taliban seized control of the presidential palace, all but ending America's 20-year campaign as it began: under Taliban rule.on Monday cut his time at Camp David short and headed back to the White House to address the nation this afternoon on Afghanistan -- his first in nearly a week to speak publicly on the subject.
The State Department and Pentagon issued a joint statement Sunday night to say they would"accelerate" evacuation flights for Afghans who served the U.S. mission and take over air traffic control at the airport after the U.S. Embassy in Kabul was"successfully" evacuated. By Monday morning, U.S. troops had reportedly established large barriers and roadblocks on the streets near the airport in an effort to both slow and control the fleeing population.
"We believe that we can effectuate an ongoing evacuation of American citizens, of Afghans who worked for us, including interpreters and translators and others vulnerable Afghans at risk. We're working to do that by securing the airport today and in the days ahead by taking people out one flight at a time, flight after flight," Sullivan said.
As the Taliban advanced last week, the U.S. State Department announced it was reducing its staff levels at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and the Pentagon began sending in U.S. troops to help facilitate departures of Americans and Afghan allies.Pentagon spokesman John Kirby provided an update to reporters on the worsening crisis in Afghanistan on Monday afternoon.
"I want to reiterate that while our mission is not offensive, forces have the inherent right of self-defense, and they will respond accordingly to threats and attacks to separate incidents. U.S. forces did respond to hostile threats that resulted in the death of two armed individuals on the support for vulnerable or at-risk Afghan citizens," he said, adding that the individuals were Taliban.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said in remarks he's"particularly concerned by accounts of mounting human rights violations against the women and girls of Afghanistan who fear a return to the darkest days."
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