(Politico) Around 3,000 U.S. troops are headed to Kabul’s international airport to assist with the evacuation of the American embassy in the Afghan capital, NatSec Daily learned minutes before the State Department officially made the announcement.
“We are further reducing our civilian footprint in Kabul,” State Department spokesperson NED PRICE said during a press conference, but added “the embassy remains open.” Staff leaving are those who can perform their functions outside of the diplomatic compound, Price continued.
“In order to facilitate this reduction, the Department of Defense will temporarily deploy additional personnel to Hamid Karzai International Airport,” Price said. “This is not abandonment, this is not evacuation, this is not wholesale withdrawal. … This is a drawdown of civilian Americans,” Price concluded.