The last US soldiers have left Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced on Monday, leaving the country in the hands of the Taliban, their 20-year-old enemies, after the longest war in US history. “We have made history,” a Taliban official immediately rejoiced, as celebratory fire crackled in Kabul.
Kabul airport after the last American soldiers depart. pic.twitter.com/rPzADbm97S
– ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) August 30, 2021
“The last C-17 plane took off from Kabul airport on August 30” at 19:29 GMT (9:29 p.m. Paris time), said General Kenneth McKenzie who heads the central command on which Afghanistan depends at a conference Press. “If the military evacuations are completed, the diplomatic mission to ensure that more US citizens and eligible Afghans wanting to leave, continue,” added the US general.
Since August 14, over a period of 18 days, planes of the United States and its allies have evacuated more than 123,000 civilians from Hami Karzai International Airport, General McKenzie also said.