The Ongoing Exodus: Evacuations And The Afghan Exodus

Since the Taliban seized the Afghan capital on 14 August 2021, more than 82,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan in one of the largest US airlifts in history. The Biden administration set an August 31 deadline to complete the US-led evacuation, but this was not met. The last five flights out of Kabul did not carry any Americans, and it is estimated that fewer than 200 Americans are still seeking evacuation.

The US has evacuated about 82,300 people since August 14, 2021

The evacuation process has been challenging and dangerous for those trying to reach the Kabul airport, with far more people wanting to leave than will be able to do so. For American citizens and those with legal US residency, the process typically involves a stopover in Qatar or another Gulf nation before proceeding to the US. Afghans who have applied for but not yet received a visa, or who are seeking to enter the US as refugees, must first go to a "transit hub" in Europe or Asia for security vetting. They can then be flown to the US and housed at military bases until their applications are completed.

The White House has stated that everyone will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival in the US. However, it is unclear how long it will take to process people at the military bases. In addition to the US efforts, at least 13 countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Costa Rica, and Albania, have agreed to temporarily house Afghan refugees until they can be resettled.

The scale and speed of this airlift are unprecedented, but the US has a history of taking in refugees from overseas conflicts. Similar evacuation efforts include the airlift of about 7,000 people during the fall of Saigon in 1975 and the evacuation of around 5,000 Kurds and other Iraqi minorities from northern Iraq in 1996. The US has also admitted over 3.1 million refugees since 1980.

The Taliban has set a 'red line' for Western forces to leave the country

The Taliban's declaration of an August 31 deadline for Western forces to leave Afghanistan has set a "red line" for evacuations, with the group warning of "consequences" if foreign forces remain in the country beyond this date. This has created a race against time to evacuate as many people as possible, with US President Joe Biden initially stating their commitment to completing evacuations by the deadline. However, Biden also asserted that this deadline was not set in stone and that it could be extended if necessary.

The Taliban's swift takeover of Afghanistan has caused panic and fear among Afghans, with thousands rushing to the Kabul airport in hopes of escaping the country. This has resulted in a chaotic and dangerous situation, with the US and its allies leading an increasingly desperate effort to airlift people to safety. The Taliban's "red line" has added to the urgency, as it is unclear what repercussions may occur if the deadline is not met.

The US and its allies have evacuated tens of thousands of people, including their citizens, Afghan interpreters and other vulnerable Afghans. However, it is feared that many more will be left behind, as the number of people seeking to leave far exceeds the capacity to evacuate them. The Taliban has urged skilled Afghans, such as engineers and doctors, to remain in the country, stating that Afghanistan needs their expertise.

The Taliban's declaration of a "red line" has put pressure on the US and its allies to complete evacuations by the deadline. While Biden has expressed a willingness to extend the deadline if needed, the Taliban's warnings of "consequences" have created a tense situation. It remains to be seen whether evacuations will be completed by August 31 or if an extension will be granted.

The US is evacuating Afghans who have worked with Western nations

The Biden administration has faced pressure to come up with a plan to evacuate Afghan military helpers, and the White House began briefing lawmakers on outlines of their plans last month. The evacuation planning could potentially affect tens of thousands of Afghans.

The US has also been working on identifying a third country or US territory to host Afghans while their visa applications are processed. The administration is considering military installations abroad and in the continental US to temporarily house Afghans during this time.

The first group of Afghan evacuees, totalling about 2,500 people, will be housed at Fort Lee, a US Army base in Virginia. Further groups of Afghans who have not been cleared in security vetting procedures will be relocated to US military bases outside the US or to other countries where they will be safe.

The Taliban has urged Afghans to return home and resume their lives

The Taliban has urged Afghans to return to their homes and resume their calm everyday lives, with a spokesperson for the group, Zabihullah Mujahid, telling a press conference in Kabul that crowding at Hamid Karzai International Airport was dangerous and that "people could lose their lives".

Mujahid added that the Taliban guarantees the security of those who wish to return home, stating that there is "no list of people targeted for reprisals" and that the group has "forgotten everything in the past".

The Taliban's request comes as the group faces international criticism for its treatment of women and girls, with the United Nations reporting that the Taliban has prohibited most girls from attending secondary school, banned all women from attending and teaching at universities, and prevented women from working. The Taliban has also been accused of committing serious human rights violations, including summary executions of civilians and restrictions on freedom of speech and the press.

Despite the Taliban's request, many Afghans continue to attempt to flee the country, with thousands of Afghans swarming Hamid Karzai International Airport in a desperate attempt to escape Taliban rule. The United States and its allies have evacuated over 80,000 people from Afghanistan since the Taliban seized the country's capital on 14 August 2021, in what has been described as one of the largest airlifts in history. However, there are far more people who want to leave than will be able to do so, and time is running out, with US President Joe Biden setting an August 31 deadline to complete the evacuation.

The US has airlifted about 4,500 citizens and their families out of Afghanistan

The Biden administration has ramped up the pace of evacuations of US citizens and at-risk Afghans from Kabul, with roughly 19,000 people airlifted from the main airport in the capital over a 24-hour period. The White House said that the US has evacuated or helped to evacuate approximately 58,700 people from Afghanistan since August 14, with about 21,600 of them airlifted out overnight on Monday. Since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 63,900 people.

The Pentagon expects the number of evacuated US citizens to increase as the US wraps up its military operations in the country. However, there are still several thousand Americans believed to be awaiting evacuation, according to the State Department. More than 5,000 US troops are on the ground in Kabul, assisting with emergency evacuation efforts, with nearly 200 aircraft dedicated to the evacuation effort.

The evacuation efforts come as the Taliban seized control of most of Afghanistan following the US withdrawal of air support to the Afghan military. Afghans fearing retribution and the harsh rule of the Taliban rushed to the airport, hoping to get out of the country. The Taliban urged skilled Afghans, including engineers and doctors, to stop fleeing the country and warned that it would not accept any extension of the August 31 deadline for evacuations.

The US military presence in Afghanistan has now ended, with the last C-17 military cargo aircraft departing Hamid Karzai International Airport. President Joe Biden thanked the American military and stated that a "new diplomatic mission" has begun.

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