Evacuation flights resume at Kabul airport

Flights evacuating diplomats and civilians in Afghanistan began departing again from Kabul’s international airport on Tuesday after they were paused for several hours on Monday due to a chaotic scene of thousands of Afghan civilians crowding the runway. 

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said early Tuesday on CNN’s “New Day” that the flights had resumed.

He noted that U.S. had flown as many as 800 people out of Kabul and moved 1,000 troops into the city during the past 24 hours. 

Air operations have resumed at Kabul airport, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby says.

The US has flown about 700-800 individuals out of Kabul and 1,000 troops into the city over the last 24 hours, he adds.https://t.co/Bslxr1l5Py pic.twitter.com/pGciT8zzVK

— New Day (@NewDay) August 17, 2021

Approximately 3,500 U.S. troops are on the ground at the Kabul airport, an administration source said on Tuesday, adding that 150 American citizens were evacuated on Monday. 

A Western security official at the airport told Reuters that the number of civilians at the airport had drastically decreased, a day after the Pentagon said it was sending thousands more U.S. troops to help secure the facility. 

“Runway in HKIA #Kabul international airport is open,” Stefano Pontecorvo, NATO’s civilian representative, tweeted on Tuesday, adding that he saw “airplanes landing and taking off.” 

Runway in HKIA #Kabul international airport is open. I see airplanes landing and taking off #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/9nueT20G7W

— Stefano Pontecorvo (@pontecorvoste) August 17, 2021

A diplomat at the airport told Reuters that 12 military flights had taken off by Tuesday afternoon local time. 

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul tweeted an alert to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan, warning them to not come to the airport until they have been notified by the embassy of their spot on an evacuation flight. The embassy is requiring U.S. citizens to complete a Reparation Assistance Request form in order to receive support for evacuation. 

“Do not call the U.S. Embassy in Kabul for details or updates about the flight,” the alert added. “This form is the only way to communicate interest in flight options. We will notify you directly by email based on your registration as soon as departure options become available.”

ALERT – we are assisting U.S. citizens with departure from #Afghanistan. Please do NOT come to the airport until you are notified by the Embassy. If you would like to register for assistance to depart follow link ⬇️https://t.co/Yv3zDZnqem

— U.S. Embassy Kabul (@USEmbassyKabul) August 17, 2021

The U.S. charge d’affaires to Afghanistan, Ross Wilson, also tweeted Tuesday that he and embassy staff “remain in #Kabul working hard to help 1000s of U.S. citizens and vulnerable Afghans & continuing engagement here.” 

“Our commitment to the Afghan people endures,” he added. 

Contrary to false reports, @USEmbassyKabul staff & I remain in #Kabul working hard to help 1000s of U.S. citizens and vulnerable Afghans & continuing engagement here. Our commitment to the Afghan people endures.

— Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson (@USAmbKabul) August 17, 2021

The U.S. evacuation operation comes after the Taliban’s swift takeover of Kabul on Sunday, which has prompted a wave of panic as diplomats and civilians alike are attempting to flee the country in fear of another Taliban rule, after the U.S. first toppled the insurgent group in 2001. 

President Biden stood by his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan in an address Monday, though he admitted that the situation “did unfold more quickly than we’d anticipated.”

–Updated at 10:06 a.m.