The US and the Taliban have struck an agreement to allow evacuations from Kabul's airport to take place without intervention from the Taliban.
Taliban members are seen near Hamid Karzai International Airport as thousands of Afghans rush to flee the Afghan capital of Kabul, Afghanistan.
Deal Between the US and Taliban Amid the Chaos
In a recently published article in The Hill, Senior Taliban leaders and Gen. Frank McKenzie met in Doha, Qatar, and struck an agreement. The two parties seem to have reached an agreement on a "deconfliction mechanism" that allows operations at Kabul's airport to continue without intervention from the Taliban.
According to reports, McKenzie warned the Taliban that any meddling would be met with force from the US military, which would act to protect the airport if required. Meanwhile, Defense Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday that he would not comment on McKenzie's discussion in detail.
Kirby said "But I can tell you that the general was very clear and firm in his discussions with Taliban leaders that any attack on our people or on our operations at the airport would be met swiftly with a very forceful response, and I think I'll leave it at that," according to a published article in Independent.
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Violence at Kabul Airport
The violence occurred at Kabul airport Monday, when the US troops shot and killed two armed individuals who opened fire on them, according to the Pentagon, as the US restarted briefly halted operations at the airport after clearing crowds from the runways.
According to a witness, the two individuals shot and killed by US troops were Taliban militants, with a third fighter wounded. The Taliban militants arrived at an airport gate just as several high-profile Western and Afghan cars attempted to enter via the same door, according to a published article in CNN News.
The Taliban militants shot into the air to attempt to clear the gate, according to the witness, and the US troops fired back, killing two of the men and wounding a third. However, it has been unable to independently verify if the three individuals were Taliban members.
Thousands of Troops are Now at the Airport
Around 2,500 US soldiers are currently stationed at the airport, according to Kirby. Additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division and battalions from a marine expeditionary unit are expected to arrive in the next 24 hours, according to the Defense Department. By Tuesday, approximately 3,000 U.S. soldiers would have arrived at the airport.
Meanwhile, the American flag at the US Embassy has been down, and all US employees have been evacuated to the airport, according to reports. Due to Afghans pouring onto the airfield, the US military briefly halted operations at the Kabul airport. Additionally, about 3,500 US Embassy employees are still waiting to be evacuated.
The Department of Defense and the State Department announced in a joint statement that thousands of American citizens who have been residents in Afghanistan, as well as locally employed staff of the US mission in Kabul and their families, and other particularly vulnerable Afghan nationals, will be transferred out of the country tomorrow and in the coming days, according to MSN News.
