US scrambles to evacuate citizens and allies from Afghanistan

Top US general says collapse of Afghan forces in 11 days against Taliban offensive was not foreseeable.

The United States is scrambling to get its citizens and allies out of Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of Kabul amid growing anxiety over the fate of the country. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the US officials are working around the clock at the airport in Kabul in an “enormously challenging and fluid situation” to ensure a safe departure for those seeking to leave the country. Washington had moved its embassy in Kabul to the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) after a blistering Taliban offensive swept the country and reached Kabul on Sunday.