US to Complete Evacuation of Citizens, Afghan Facilitators by August 31 - Pentagon
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2021) The United States will complete its evacuation of diplomatic personnel, American citizens and Afghan facilitators from Afghanistan by August 31, Defense Department Spokesperson John Kirby said at a press briefing.
"The mission is to evacuate our embassy personnel, American citizens as well as Afghans who we can help," Kirby told reporters on Monday.
"The timeframe that we're on... is to complete that mission by August 31."
Director for Defense Intelligence Garry Reid, who is tasked with evacuating Afghan special immigrant visa holders, said evacuation efforts will ramp up once US forces secure the situation in Kabul. The Department of Defense is aiming to fly 20-30 evacuation airlifts a day, which would airlift approximately 5,000 people out of Afghanistan daily.