U.S. Ends War in Afghanistan, Concludes Military Evacuation From Kabul: ‘We Did Not Get Out Everybody We Wanted to Get Out’

What’s the story?

• General Frank McKenzie, U.S. Central Command’s commanding general, announced that the last U.S. military flight departed Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan at 3:29pm Eastern on Monday, August 30th, shortly after midnight of August 31st ― the Biden administration’s deadline for withdrawal. Over 116,000 people have been evacuated by the U.S. and its allies in the last two weeks, although hundreds of American civilians remain in Afghanistan, along with thousands of at-risk Afghan allies.
• The final flights marked the official end of the war in Afghanistan, which began in October 2001 after the September 11th terrorist attacks and saw 2,361 Americans killed and more than 20,000 wounded. McKenzie confirmed, “Every single U.S. servicemember is now out of Afghanistan, I can say that with 100% certainty.” He said the last Americans to be evacuated were 82nd Airborne Division Commanding General Christopher Donahue and U.S. Ambassador Ross Wilson.
• It also marks the end of a two-week-long military evacuation, although it’s estimated that several hundred American citizens along with thousands of Afghan allies were unable to be evacuated before the departure of the final five aircraft. It’s unclear how many U.S. legal residents, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders and their families, and other Afghans at risk of Taliban reprisals remain in the country.
• McKenzie estimated that the number of American civilians remaining in Afghanistan is “in the low hundreds” and said that the U.S. had maintained the ability to bring more on until the very minute, but none were able to make it to the airport. He added:

“We would’ve liked to be able to bring out everybody that wanted to come out. We were not able to do that. The situation wouldn’t allow it. I think we did a very good job of getting everybody that we could get out, given the unique challenges and the tactical situation on the ground… There’s a lot of heartbreak associated with this departure. We did not get out everybody we wanted to get out.”

• President Joe Biden released a statement in which he praised the “unmatched courage, professionalism, and resolve” of the U.S. military in executing the evacuation, which more than resulted in over 116,000 people evacuated since August 14th by the U.S. and coalition partners, including about 6,000 Americans. The president added:

“Tomorrow afternoon, I will address the American people on my decision not to extend our presence in Afghanistan beyond August 31. For now, I will report that it was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and of all of our commanders on the ground to end our airlift mission as planned. Their view was that ending our military mission was the best way to protect the lives of our troops, and secure the prospects of civilian departures for those who want to leave Afghanistan in the weeks and months ahead.”

• In an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on August 19th, Biden had said that he was committed to keeping troops in the country until every American who wants to get out was evacuated. He said at the time that “if there’s American citizens left, we’re gonna stay to get them all out.”
• The U.S. personnel securing Hamid Karzai International Airport faced increasing security threats in recent days. A “complex terrorist attack” by ISIS-K killed 13 American servicemembers on August 26th, while wounding at least 20 more and murdering more than 170 Afghans.
• The U.S. carried out a drone strike on ISIS-K militants outside of Kabul early Saturday morning and conducted a second strike in Kabul targeting suspected car bombers near the airport on Sunday. Defense officials said the strike on the car generated “significant” secondary explosions indicating the detonation of “a substantial amount of explosive material.” There are reports that 10 Afghan civilians were killed in the blast, including several children.
• ISIS-K carried out another attack on the Hamid Karzai International Airport during the night of August 29th-30th, with five indirect rockets fired at the facility and the American personnel station there. At least one rocket exploded ineffectively in the complex, while at least one other rocket was downed by a C-RAM artillery defense system. The C-RAM system was rendered inoperable along with numerous vehicles and aircraft as the U.S. departed.

— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Kabul Evacuation: DoD photo by Master Sgt. Alexander Burnett / Public Domain | C-17: Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson / Public Domain)