WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has announced that the withdrawal from Afghanistan will be completed by August 31.
He said that due to the growing threat of terrorist attacks, an urgent withdrawal is needed. “The sooner we can end the evacuation process, the better,” Biden said of the planned withdrawal of US and Afghan civilians and US troops from Taliban-held Kabul.
“We hope to complete the evacuation by August 31. However, completing the evacuation by Tuesday depends on the continued support of the Taliban and access to the airport for those we are taking out,” Biden said.
On the other hand, the chairman of the US House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, has said that he does not think that the evacuation of all American citizens and their allies from Afghanistan will be completed by August 31.
READ MORE: US troops may stay past withdrawal deadline: Joe Biden
Speaking to reporters after a briefing by the House Intelligence Committee, he said it was possible, but unlikely, that as many American citizens were still to be evacuated, like many journalists, civil society and women leaders were to be evacuated. I don’t think it will be possible by the end of the month.
“The record of 11,000 people a day being evacuated by the United States is welcome, but because of the practical difficulties, my view is that we should keep our forces there until all Americans are evacuated,” he said.
