Over 5,200 US troops in Kabul, 7,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan since August 14: Pentagon

"The US military footprint and Kabul now has more than 5,200 total troops on the ground. Kabul airport remains secure and open for flight operations. There are now multiple gates that have access for entry into the airfield," said Major General Hank Taylor.

Washington: A total of 7,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the start of evacuation operations on August 14 and over 5,200 US troops are in Kabul, the Pentagon said on Thursday (August 19, 2021). Cumulatively, the number of people moved out of Afghanistan is somewhere near 12,000. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan on Sunday. Their sudden victory, which comes as the US withdraws from the country following a 20-year-war, has sparked chaos at Kabul's airport, from where America and allied nations are trying to safely evacuate thousands of citizens and allies.