Pentagon says U.S. and international forces working to clear Kabul airport
Reuters
Published Aug 16, 2021 12:35PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. forces are working with Turkish and other international troops to clear Kabul airport to allow evacuation https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/talibans-rapid-advance-across-afghanistan-2021-08-10 flights to resume, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby (NYSE:KEX) said on Monday.
He told a news briefing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had authorized the deployment of another battalion to Kabul that would bring the number of troops guarding the evacuation to about 6,000.
Gunmen at the airport shot at U.S. forces and U.S. troops had shot dead two armed Afghans, Kirby said. He said there were preliminary indications that one U.S. service member had been wounded.
Thousands of civilians desperate to flee Afghanistan thronged Kabul airport on Monday after the Taliban seized the capital, prompting the U.S. military to suspend evacuations as the United States came under mounting criticism at home over its pullout.
Kirby said no flights were currently coming or going from the airport out of an abundance of caution and he did not know when they would resume, but U.S. forces had control of air traffic control at Kabul.
Several hundred people had been flown out of the airport so far and the pace of evacuation would depend on the security situation, the spokesman said.
"The U.S. military’s focus at the moment in on safety and security at the airport and resuming air operations," he said.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.