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He specifically mentioned the terror threat from Islamic State (IS). Biden stressed that 11,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan in the past 30 hours. There is debate about whether the troops should stay longer, Biden said in an update from the White House.
Biden says the evacuation is now really underway, even as reports continue to come from Kabul that people are not entering the airport. Still, he also warned that it is a difficult mission that is now underway. “We have a long way to go and a lot can go wrong,” Biden said.
The Americans also take into account terror from IS. “We know that terrorists want to exploit this situation,” Biden said. He stated that the Afghan branch of IS may be planning attacks on or near the airport in Kabul. “Every day there is the threat of IS. We are working hard to get those people out of there as quickly as possible.”
Larger area ‘safe’
Biden said a larger area around the airport has now been secured. This ‘safe zone’ is said to have been established in consultation with the Taliban. Biden declined to clarify how U.S. military personnel are removing civilians from Kabul. He said he couldn’t give any details for security reasons. He did say that the Americans “make it possible for more people to get into the airport.” But he didn’t say how that happened.
Other countries previously asked the US if the withdrawal deadline could be extended. With an unknown number of civilians still outside Kabul, and the difficult evacuation, they think more time is needed. With just over a week to go, Biden said moving his own deadline is being discussed with his team, but he still hopes it won’t be necessary to stay longer.
Biden gave his update as the situation at Kabul airport deteriorates further. Thousands of Afghans and an unknown number of Europeans and Americans are still trying to get out of the country. That creates dangerous situations. According to the British Defense Secretary, seven Afghan civilians were killed on Sunday, partly due to oppression.
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