US deploys more troops in Kabul to evacuate civilian personnel as Taliban closes in

The Biden administration is deploying several thousands of its troops to the Kabul airport to support the orderly and safe reduction of civilian personnel mainly from its embassy.

The Biden administration is deploying several thousands of its troops to the Kabul airport to support the orderly and safe reduction of civilian personnel mainly from its embassy, officials at the Pentagon and the State Department said Thursday. “We are further reducing our civilian footprint in Kabul in light of the evolving security situation. We expect to draw down to a core diplomatic presence in Afghanistan in the coming weeks. In order to facilitate this reduction, the Department of Defence will temporarily deploy additional personnel to Hamid Karzai International Airport,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday spoke over phone with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to coordinate the planning, he said.