US President Joe Biden discussed with his national security team on Saturday the “huge logistical operation” of evacuation in Afghanistan as well as the security situation in Kabul, including possible threats from the Islamic State (IS), reported this Saturday the White House.
Biden had planned to spend the weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, but decided to stay at the White House to closely follow developments in Afghanistan.
At this morning’s meeting, the president discussed “the security situation in Afghanistan and counterterrorism operations, including the Islamic State;” as well as “the huge logistical operation” to evacuate US citizens, special visa applicants and vulnerable Afghans.
It also discussed, according to the official note, ” aggressive efforts to finalize additional agreements as third countries” to open transit centers to host flights from Kabul.
Along with Biden, were present his secretary of state, Antony Blinken; his Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin; and the head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, among other senior officials.
The Pentagon said today that 3,800 people had evacuated from Kabul airport in the last 24 hours, putting the figure in the last week at 17,000, of which 2,500 are Americans.
According to White House estimates, there are still between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan who need to be evacuated , in addition to between 50,000 and 65,000 Afghans and their families whom the US wants to remove from the country. EFE