U.S. to send 3K troops to Afghanistan to help evacuate embassy officials

August 13, 2021 carleyshaffer1 US 0

FORT DRUM, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 10: U.S. Army soldiers return home from a 9-month deployment to Afghanistan on December 10, 2020 at Fort Drum, New York. The 10th Mountain Division soldiers who arrived this week are under orders to isolate at home or in barracks, finishing their Covid-19 quarantine just before Christmas. The troops were replaced in Afghanistan by a smaller force, as the U.S. military continues to reduce troop levels Afghanistan. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

FORT DRUM, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 10: U.S. Army soldiers return home from a 9-month deployment to Afghanistan on December 10, 2020 at Fort Drum, New York. (John Moore/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 10:16 AM PT – Friday, August 13, 2021

The U.S. announced it would be sending thousands of troops back to Afghanistan despite a troop withdrawal underway. As the Biden administration aims to pullout troops from Afghanistan, the State Department said it would also be decreasing it’s staff at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby confirmed during a press briefing on Thursday that the Biden administration would be sending 3,000 troops to Afghanistan to help evacuate U.S. Embassy officials after key cities in the country were taken over by the Taliban. Despite the thousands of troops being sent to Kabul, Kirby said they still plan to pullout the remaining American troops.

“Again, what I said was, we are aiming to facilitate the reduction of the civilian personnel by Aug. 31. So, it’s all lining up on the same timeline,” said Kirby. “I won’t speculate on what the footprint is going to look like post Aug. 31 because there is this additional mission set of helping process special immigrants so, we’re just gonna have to wait and see.”

.@PentagonPresSec: @POTUS has ordered the reduction of civilian personnel at our embassy in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/fb1bf7n1vN

— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) August 12, 2021

Kirby added that the 3,000 troops have a specific and narrow focus to safely remove officials amidst growing conflict in the region. Additionally, spokesperson Ned Price said only “core diplomatic presence” would remain, as safety in the region continues to decline. Price called the move a “reduction in the size of our civilian footprint.”