WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden on Sunday said he is in discussions with his military officials regarding the extension of the evacuation mission in Afghanistan, beyond the August 31 deadline.
Biden made these remarks during a White House address amid the country’s large-scale evacuation efforts in the war-ravaged country.
“Discussions are going on among us and the military about extending (Aug 31 evacuation deadline), our hope is, we don’t have to extend. But there going to be a discussion, I suspect on how far along we’re in the process,” said US President Joe Biden said during an address from White House
“We know that terrorists may seek to exploit the situation and target innocent Afghans or American troops. We’re maintaining constant vigilance to monitor and disrupt threats from any source, including ISIS and the Afghan affiliate known as ISIS-K,” Biden added.
Following the Taliban‘s swift takeover of Kabul last week, the US has been scrambling to evacuate Americans and its Afghan partners from the country.
Biden informed that the US has extended the safe zone around the Kabul international airport. “We have made a number of changes, including extending the access around the airport and the safe zone,” Biden said during the presser.
Earlier on Friday, Biden had termed the evacuation from Afghanistan the ‘most difficult and largest airlift’ ever in the history.
Biden also raised concerns on Sunday over the Islamic State posing a threat as American troops seek to evacuate thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan.
Biden noted that the terror group is a “sworn enemy of the Taliban” and said that the longer U.S. troops are on the ground increases the chance that the group will attempt to strike innocent civilians and American personnel near the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has been warning Americans to avoid traveling to the airport in part because of concerns about Islamic State fighters.
The extremist group has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad and it has been active in Afghanistan for a number of years, carrying out waves of horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority.
The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, and faced Taliban attacks.
Biden made these remarks during a White House address amid the country’s large-scale evacuation efforts in the war-ravaged country.
“Discussions are going on among us and the military about extending (Aug 31 evacuation deadline), our hope is, we don’t have to extend. But there going to be a discussion, I suspect on how far along we’re in the process,” said US President Joe Biden said during an address from White House
“We know that terrorists may seek to exploit the situation and target innocent Afghans or American troops. We’re maintaining constant vigilance to monitor and disrupt threats from any source, including ISIS and the Afghan affiliate known as ISIS-K,” Biden added.
Following the Taliban‘s swift takeover of Kabul last week, the US has been scrambling to evacuate Americans and its Afghan partners from the country.
Biden informed that the US has extended the safe zone around the Kabul international airport. “We have made a number of changes, including extending the access around the airport and the safe zone,” Biden said during the presser.
Earlier on Friday, Biden had termed the evacuation from Afghanistan the ‘most difficult and largest airlift’ ever in the history.
Biden also raised concerns on Sunday over the Islamic State posing a threat as American troops seek to evacuate thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan.
Biden noted that the terror group is a “sworn enemy of the Taliban” and said that the longer U.S. troops are on the ground increases the chance that the group will attempt to strike innocent civilians and American personnel near the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has been warning Americans to avoid traveling to the airport in part because of concerns about Islamic State fighters.
The extremist group has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad and it has been active in Afghanistan for a number of years, carrying out waves of horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority.
The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, and faced Taliban attacks.
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