From Axios and Associated Press - Taliban guards confirmed Monday that the last U.S. planes have flown out of Kabul after 20 years of war, thus concluding the largest civilian evacuation in U.S. military history. Approximately 120,000 people were evacuated since the Taliban began regaining control of much of the country just two weeks ago.
General Frank McKenzie, head of the U.S. Central Command, confirmed that the last five U.S. planes departed Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul at 3:29 p.m. Eastern standard time, which is one minute before midnight in Kabul.
McKenzie stated, "We continued the outreach and would have been prepared to bring them on until the very last minute, but none of them made it to the airport and were able to be accommodated."
McKenzie noted that recovery efforts moving forward will take place through diplomatic means, as the U.S. claims to have reached an agreement with the Taliban that allows them to continue to get their citizens and Afghan allies out of the country after the August 31st deadline.
In the final week of withdrawing, 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members were killed in two separate attacks by members of the Islamic State.
Image from Getty Images
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