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“The U.S. military does not currently have the capability to extend security forces beyond the perimeter of Kabul airport in order to allow more civilians to safely evacuate Afghanistan,” U.S. Defense Secretary Arsepost al-Austin said at a Pentagon news conference on Aug. 18.
On the same day, a security alert at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan read: “Safe access to Kabul airport cannot be guaranteed.” The announcement comes as the U.S. seeks to increase the number of flights leaving Afghanistan to evacuate about 5,000 to 9,000 people a day.
That was contrary to assurances made the day before by U.S. government officials, who had previously said they had received a commitment from the Taliban not to interfere in the evacuation.
