The US military has “begun retrograding” from the Hamid Karzai International airport.
This was stated by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, CNN reports.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby also noted that the US is “still in charge of the airport” and the security.
Kirby said the Taliban is not on the airport and not manning gates. John would not provide the number of troops who have left.
In turn, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations Army Maj. Gen. William "Hank" Taylor also noted, “we’re going to continue to operate the airport up until the end… We will continue to run that airfield to make sure that we can execute our operations.”
The Pentagon also said that any US passport holder can get into the airport in Kabul, after a US Embassy in Kabul alert on Friday warned US citizens at the airport gates to “leave immediately” due to security threats and avoid traveling to the airport.
“They’re doing the prudent, responsible thing, to inform Americans there in Kabul about what’s best for their own safety,” said Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby.
Kirby also said that Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants and vulnerable Afghans are still being processed at the airport.
As was reported earlier, a series of explosions near the airport of Kabul killed more than 100 people, including 13 American military personnel.