Daily US Times: The US has pulled out off its troops from Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war, closing a chapter in military history likely to be remembered for unfulfilled promises, colossal failures and a frantic final exit that cost the lives of more than 180 Afghans and 13 service members.
Hours ahead of President Biden’s Tuesday deadline for complete withdrawal, and thus ending the war, US Air Force transport planes carried a remaining contingent of troops from Kabul airport late Monday. Thousands of soldiers had spent a harrowing two weeks protecting the Kabul airport, precession the messy evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghans, Americans and others seeking to leave a country once again ruled by Taliban.
Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, announced the completion of the evacuation and war effort in Afghanistan. He said the last planes took off from Kabul airport at 3:29 p.m. Washington time, which is just one minute before midnight in the Afghan capital. He said a number of American citizens, likely numbering in “the very low hundreds,” were left behind in the country, and that he believes they will still be able to leave the country.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the number of Americans left behind in the country at under 200, “likely closer to 100.”
Mr Blinken said the US State Department would keep working to get them out. He said the US diplomatic presence would shift to Doha, Qatar. Blinken praised the military-led evacuation as heroic and historic and
President Joe Biden said military commanders unanimously favored ending the airlift, not extending it.
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