NEW: Taliban forces have reportedly entered the outskirts of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, after overrunning the nation's army and gaining quick surrenders across the country.
With the capture of Jalalabad, the Taliban now controls eight of the 10 largest cities in the country. Kabul, the largest by far, and Charikar, only about 40 miles north of the capital, are the only ones remaining out of Taliban hands.
For now, the embassy remains open, but the situation on the ground is shifting rapidly and a final decision is expected to be announced soon. The Taliban have demanded that Ghani resign in exchange for a reduction in violence and to lay the groundwork for a transitional government. But Ghani has said he is the democratically elected leader of the country and will remain so until negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan government reach a conclusion -- an increasingly distant reality.A Taliban fighter looks on as he stands in front of Taliban flags flying in the city of Ghazni, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan Aug. 14, 2021.
"Clearly from their actions, it appears as if they are trying to get Kabul isolated," Kirby said of the Taliban at the Pentagon Friday afternoon.The U.S. Embassy dominates the skyline in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, July 3, 2021., the U.S. Embassy in Kabul announced it is considering evacuation flights for American citizens in Afghanistan as the Taliban approach the capital.
"What this is not -- this is not abandonment. This is not an evacuation. This is not the wholesale withdrawal," Price said Thursday."What this is, is a reduction in the size of our civilian footprint. This is a drawdown of civilian Americans who will, in many cases, be able to perform their important functions elsewhere, whether that's in the United States or elsewhere in the region.
In addition to the U.S. troops heading to Kabul, 1,000 personnel were being sent to assist with the processing of Afghans who worked as interpreters, guides and other contractors and applied for Special Immigrant Visas . The president's statement said that in addition to authorizing 5,000 troops to assist with the"drawdown" of U.S.
"Our hearts go out to the brave Afghan men and women who are now at risk. We are working to evacuate thousands of those who helped our cause and their families," Biden said in his statement Saturday, noting that the administration to working to relocate SIV applicants and"other Afghan allies."Passengers walk to the departures terminal of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 14, 2021.
Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense, a senior fellow for the Middle East Institute, Afghanistan war veteran and ABC News national security analyst, called on the U.S. to reverse its decision to withdraw troops in order to"prevent the country's fall to the Taliban and the establishment of a safe haven for terrorist organizations."
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