[Epoch Times August 30, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Li Yan comprehensive report) Earlier on Monday (August 30), the US anti-missile defense system intercepted five rockets directed at Kabul Airport. The core Afghan diplomats have also withdrawn from the country.
According to Reuters, two US officials said that the “core” diplomats had been evacuated on Monday morning. They did not disclose whether this includes Ross Wilson, the top U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, who is expected to be the last to leave before the final U.S. troop withdrawal.
U.S. defense officials told Fox News that the deadline for all U.S. troops and diplomats to leave Afghanistan is Tuesday (31st) 3:29 pm Eastern time-11:59 pm local time in Kabul. This will mark the first time in the past 20 years that Afghanistan has no US troops stationed there.
According to the White House, about 1,200 people were evacuated from Kabul on Sunday (29th). The White House said that this was the result of the joint operation of 26 C-17 US military aircraft, which took about 1,200 evacuees, and two coalition aircraft sent 50 people away.
The White House said on Monday that the United States has evacuated and assisted in the evacuation of approximately 116,700 people since the start of the evacuation mission on August 14. Since the end of July, the United States has transferred nearly 122,300 people from Afghanistan.
Brinken: There is no deadline for this effort
As the United States made its final evacuation, as many as five rockets were fired at the airport in the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday. The Islamic State terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack. A US official said that preliminary reports showed that there were no casualties on the US side.
Before the rocket attack, two suicide bombings occurred outside the bustling airport gate last Thursday (August 26), killing nearly 200 people, including 13 US troops. The Islamic State terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the incident.
In recent days, Washington has warned of fear of more attacks and has carried out two air strikes on ISIS targets. In an air strike on Sunday, a car full of explosives was blown up and another suicide bombing conspiracy was thwarted. The Taliban said seven people died in the explosion.
The departure of the last foreign troops will end the U.S.-led military assistance to Afghanistan. At the end of 2001, after al Qaeda launched a terrorist attack on the United States on September 11 of that year, the United States and NATO allies entered Afghanistan and launched a 20-year war on terrorism.
During their stay in Afghanistan, the US-led Allied forces overthrew the Taliban government that had provided safe haven to Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and participated in the counter-insurgency war against Islamic militants.
In the latter part of President Trump’s (Trump) administration, the United States reached an agreement with the Taliban to end the longest war in Washington’s history. After President Joe Biden took office, he decided to complete all withdrawal tasks on August 31.
As the time for the withdrawal of US troops approached, the Taliban quickly captured Kabul on August 15 and regained the power of Afghanistan. There was an immediate wave of fleeing in the country. Twenty years ago, the organization carried out public executions while in power and banned women from going to school or work.
The Taliban said that they are very different from before. Now they will protect the rights of women “within the framework of Islam” and will not retaliate against those Afghans who serve foreign troops. However, the Afghans still have lingering fears, rushing to the Kabul airport, hoping to catch the evacuation flights of various countries at the last minute and leave this war-torn country as soon as possible.
Qatar Al Jazeera reported that an anonymous Taliban source revealed that the Taliban will take full control of the Kabul Airport after the Americans evacuated on Tuesday.
The US State Department said in a statement signed by nearly 100 countries as well as NATO and the European Union that they received “guarantees” from the Taliban last week that people with travel documents can still leave the country. The Taliban said that after the United States completes its withdrawal on Tuesday, they will control the airport and allow Afghans to travel normally.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Brinken said on Sunday that after September 1, the United States is “unlikely” to establish a “diplomatic presence” in Afghanistan, but he vowed that the Biden administration will continue to help those who want to evacuate Afghanistan.
“There is no deadline for this effort. If people choose to leave, we have a way and we have a mechanism to help them continue to leave Afghanistan.” Brinken said.
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
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