The last US military flight has left the Afghan capital, the Pentagon has reported, formally finishing the United States’ 20-year battle in Afghanistan after a tumultuous departure exertion.
General Kenneth McKenzie, leader of US Central Command, said that the US emptied 79,000 individuals from Kabul, including 6,000 American residents, since August 14, a day prior to the Taliban assumed liability for the city.
“I’m here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan,” McKenzie told reporters during a news briefing at the Pentagon on Monday.
“Tonight’s withdrawal signifies both the end of the military component of the evacuation but also the end of the nearly 20-year mission that began in Afghanistan shortly after September 11, 2001.”
The Taliban took over Afghanistan recently after a rankling hostile, arriving at Kabul on August 15 as President Ashraf Ghani escaped the nation and government powers imploded.
US powers stayed in charge of the air terminal, nonetheless, as they attempted to empty American residents, third-country nationals and Afghan partners – and meet an August 31 troop withdrawal cutoff time set by President Joe Biden.
“Every single American service member is now out of Afghanistan. I can say that with absolute certainty,” McKenzie said on Monday.
The overall added that US powers began the departures on August 14 with the presumption that Afghan security powers would be a “willing and able” accomplice, yet the Taliban assumed control over the capital daily later. That is when Washington began organizing the clearing endeavors with the gathering.
“It’s important to understand that within 48 hours of the execution order, facts on the ground had changed significantly,” McKenzie said. “We have gone from cooperating on security with a longtime partner and ally to initiating a pragmatic relationship of necessity with a longtime enemy.
