United States will meet 31st August Deadline of Complete Withdrawal from Afghanistan

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A White House official said US President Joe Biden is looking to meet his 31^st August deadline to pull the remaining American forces from Afghanistan. The Biden administration rushes to evacuate thousands of US citizens and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul following the Taliban’s lightning-fast takeover of the country. The official said that sticking with the president’s end-of-month deadline, however, will depend on cooperation from the Taliban. President Biden also needs contingency plans drawn up in the event US troops have to stay on the ground in Afghanistan to continue airlifts of US citizens and Afghan allies after 31^st August. Biden is set to provide an update on evacuation efforts from the White House on Tuesday afternoon. A Taliban spokesman warned there would be consequences if the US or the UK were to keep forces in Afghanistan after the end of the month.

In July, President Biden announced that the mission in Afghanistan would conclude at the end of August. It would bring the two-decade war there to a close. More than 6 thousand US troops were sent to Kabul to help with the airlift of US citizens and at-risk Afghans after the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return power just over a week ago. Biden has faced pressure to extend next week’s deadline and keep military forces on the ground to ensure those who are at risk from the Taliban can safely leave the country. He conducted massive operations to move thousands of American citizens and Afghans out of Kabul and the growing Taliban threat. US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff informed reporters on Monday after a briefing on Afghanistan. Biden said that it is very unlikely the evacuation can be completed in the next week.

President Biden and his administration have repeatedly said they were looking to leave Afghanistan by 31^st August 31. It would ensure all US citizens who need to return home have flown out of the country. On Tuesday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the US mission in Afghanistan is still set to end at the end of the month. He said the military will need several days to organize the final drawdown of personnel and equipment. The US has ramped up the pace of evacuations from the airport in Kabul. More than 21,600 people evacuated over a 24-hour period started on early Monday morning. Point to be noted that 37 US military aircraft carried at least 12,700 evacuees and 57 coalition flights brought 8,900 people out of the country. Kirby said that the US has relocated more than 58 thousand people since 14^th August 14, including several thousand Americans.