Live blog
Status: 08/25/2021 4:11 a.m.
The US claims to have withdrawn “several hundred” troops from Kabul airport. According to a media report, the German airlift could end on Friday. All developments in the live blog.
4:11 am
US military withdraws “several hundred” soldiers from Kabul airport
The US military has said it has reduced its troop presence at Kabul Airport by “several hundred” soldiers. Defense Department spokesman John Kirby said that this was part of the normal decision-making power of the local commander during an ongoing operation. These include employees at headquarters, maintenance specialists and other soldiers whose mission at the airport has been completed. The US military last had around 5,800 soldiers there. Kirby stressed that the routine withdrawal of some troops did not mark the beginning of the withdrawal of all soldiers from Afghanistan. This was not ordered at this point, he said.
4:11 am
“Business Insider”: Will the Bundeswehr Airlift end on Friday?
Following the announcement by US President Joe Biden that he intends to hold on to the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan until August 31, a media report says that the Bundeswehr airlift from Kabul is due to end this week. According to current planning, the German airlift will be discontinued on Friday, reports the business magazine “Business Insider”, citing consistent information from circles of the Ministry of Defense and the Foreign Office. Accordingly, the last plane from Kabul to Tashkent should fly on that day. Details are still open.