Pentagon Orders Commercial Aircrafts to Assist Kabul Evacuation Process
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After being evacuated from Hamid Karzai International Airport, 18 planes will transport Afghan people fleeing to the United States.
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Commercial airlines will help in the evacuation process.
The New York Times reported that the US Department of Defense had ordered 6 commercial airlines to provide passenger jets to help evacuate US personnel and Afghan allies fleeing the country after the Taliban took over Kabul.
The 18 planes will transport passengers, who are currently sheltering in US bases in the Middle East, after being evacuated from Kabul to Europe and then to the US.
During a press conference held on Sunday evening, US President Joe Biden claimed that his country continues to make progress in evacuations from Afghanistan. He also stated that as of August 14, 28,000 people have been evacuated on US and coalition aircraft, including chartered civilian flights.
Biden also stated that evacuating thousands of people from Kabul will be difficult and traumatic, regardless of when it begins. He went on to say that there is no way to evacuate such a large number of people without causing suffering and grief, and without preventing scenes of devastating images on television.
At the airport, the growing crowds trampled people to death, including a small child. In the same context, Jake Sullivan, US National Security Adviser, said yesterday that ISIS' threat to Kabul airport is "risky and dangerous."
After alarming efforts by reckless gang fighters to seize the planes, some interpreters and journalists gave up attempts to escape, according to the newspaper. “I lost hope, I lost faith in the US government, which continues claiming we will evacuate our allies,” one man said.
Biden has made a concerted effort to leave the race, where key participants in the final days of the war were interviewed, revealing a series of miscalculations that led to chaos.
Tomorrow, the G7 leaders will meet virtually to review the situation in Afghanistan. The final destination of the thousands of Afghans in need of new homes is expected to be discussed.
