US President Joe Biden is hopeful that American troops will be able to complete the evacuation of US nationals from Afghanistan by August 31 as initially planned, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CBS on Thursday.
“The president is committed to ensuring that every American who wants to leave Afghanistan gets out of Afghanistan. He believes that we can accomplish that by August 31,” Sullivan said when asked if the US leader is mulling over extending the US presence in the country. At the same time, he could not specify how many Americans there are in Afghanistan now.
On Wednesday, Biden told ABC that Washington can maintain its military contingent in Afghanistan even after August 31 if there are still Americans that need to be evacuated beyond this date.
Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby told a briefing on Thursday that the US had not made the decision about changing the timeline of its presence in the country, noting that this move will require additional talks with the Taliban (outlawed in Russia).
On April 14, Biden announced plans to end Washington’s operation in Afghanistan, the longest military campaign in American history.
Taliban fighters entered Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on August 15, taking control of the entire city within a few hours. Later, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and fled the country. Vice President Amrullah Saleh declared himself caretaker president, calling for armed resistance to the Taliban. Western nations are now evacuating their citizens and diplomatic personnel from Afghanistan.
