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U.S Struggles To Speed Kabul Airlift Despite Taliban, Chaos

Published

4 years ago

August 20, 2021

The United States struggled Thursday to pick up the pace of American and Afghan evacuations at Kabul airport, constrained by obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to paperwork problems. With an Aug. 31 deadline looming, tens of thousands remained to be airlifted from the chaotic country.

Taliban fighters and their checkpoints ringed the airport — major barriers for Afghans who fear that their past work with Westerners makes them prime targets for retribution.

Hundreds of Afghans who lacked any papers or clearance for evacuation also congregated outside the airport, adding to the chaos that has prevented even some Afghans who do have papers and promises of flights from getting through.

It didn’t help that many of the Taliban fighters could not read the documents.

In a hopeful sign, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington that 6,000 people were cleared for evacuation Thursday and were expected to board military flights in coming hours.

That would mark a major increase from recent days. About 2,000 passengers were flown out on each of the past two days, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Kirby said the military has aircraft available to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 people per day, but until Thursday far fewer designated evacuees had been able to reach, and then enter, the airport.

Kirby told reporters the limiting factor has been available evacuees, not aircraft. He said efforts were underway to speed processing, including adding State Department consular officers to verify paperwork of Americans and Afghans who managed to get to the airport. Additional entry gates had been opened, he said.

And yet, at the current rate it would be difficult for the U.S. to evacuate all of the Americans and Afghans who are qualified for and seeking evacuation by Aug. 31.

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he would ensure no American was left behind, even if that meant staying beyond August, an arbitrary deadline that he set weeks before the Taliban climaxed a stunning military victory by taking Kabul last weekend.

It was not clear if Biden might consider extending the deadline for evacuees who aren’t American citizens.

At the airport, military evacuation flights continued, but access remained difficult for many. On Thursday, Taliban militants fired into the air to try to control the crowds gathered at the airport’s blast walls.

Men, women and children fled. U.S. Navy fighter jets flew overhead, a standard military precaution but also a reminder to the Taliban that the U.S. has firepower to respond to a combat crisis.

There is no accurate figure of the number of people — Americans, Afghans or others — who are in need of evacuation as the process is almost entirely self-selecting.

For example, the State Department says that when it ordered its nonessential embassy staff to leave Kabul in April after Biden’s withdrawal announcement, fewer than 4,000 Americans had registered for security updates.

The actual number, including dual U.S.-Afghan citizens along with family members, is likely much higher, with estimates ranging from 11,000 to 15,000. Tens of thousands of Afghans may also be in need of escape.

Compounding the uncertainty, the U.S. government has no way to track how many registered Americans may have left Afghanistan already. Some may have returned to the United States but others may have gone to third countries.

At the Pentagon, Kirby declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had recommended to Biden that he extend the Aug. 31 deadline.

Given the Taliban’s takeover of the country, staying beyond that date would require at least the Taliban’s acquiescence, he said.

He said he knew of no such talks yet between U.S. and Taliban commanders, who have been in regular touch for days to limit conflict at the airport as part of what the White House has termed a “safe passage” agreement worked out on Sunday.

“I think it is just a fundamental fact of the reality of where we are, that communications and a certain measure of agreement with the Taliban on what we’re trying to accomplish has to occur,” Kirby said.

Of the approximately 2,000 people airlifted from the airport in the 24 hours ended Wednesday morning, nearly 300 were Americans, Kirby said. U.S. lawmakers were briefed Thursday morning that 6,741 people had been evacuated since Aug. 14, including 1,762 American citizens and Green Card holders, according to two congressional aides.

Additional American troops continued to arrive at the airport. As of Thursday there were about 5,200, including Marines who specialize in evacuation coordination and an Air Force unit that specializes in emergency airport operations. Biden has authorized a total deployment of about 6,000.

Hoping to secure evacuation seats are American citizens and other foreigners, Afghan allies of the Western forces, and women, journalists, activists and others most at risk from the fundamentalist Taliban.

(AP)

Related Topics:Afghanistan Taliban U.S. Syria

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World Ocean Day: HOMEF Wants An End To Human’s Exploitative Relationship With The Ocean

Published

4 hours ago

June 8, 2025

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has called for an end to human’s exploitative, violent, and destructive relationship with the ocean even as the world marks World Ocean Day today, 8 June, 2025.

In a statement issued by Kome Odhomor, Media/Communications Lead, HOMEF, to mark this year’s World Ocean Day with the theme: ‘Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,’ the ecological think tank organisation said Ocean is not just a water but an ecosystems which “supply a substantial amount of oxygen to the atmosphere and offer various services that ensure the survival of all species on Earth.

“Climate change, primarily caused by human activities, is impacting the ocean. Dead zones are proliferating, pollution from minerals and fossil fuel extraction and production processes is occurring, unsustainable industrial fishing practices are occurring, intentional waste dumping is occurring, and disturbances of the ocean floor and seabeds are among a long list of destructive activities.

“As ocean surface temperatures increase, global warming will also rise. Therefore, protecting the ocean from these forms of degradation would ultimately safeguard the Earth. Let’s protect the ocean and force others to respect it because we are the ocean; we are part of the ocean family.”

Odhomor, in the statement made available to INFO DAILY on Sunday, quoted the Executive Director of HOMEF, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, as saying the World Ocean Day is celebrated annually on 8 June to underscore the immeasurable importance of the world’s ocean and garner support for their protection.

Bassey in the statement lamented that despite the importance, the ocean and other water bodies are continuously subjected to a barrage of assaults at local, national, and international levels.

“The concept that the ocean cycles itself and acts as a greenhouse gas sink has been misconstrued to mean that the ocean can filter and clean itself no matter what is dumped in it.

“The ocean and other waterbodies have become dumpsites of all sorts, polluting and extreme exploitation.

“There are a lot of unusual activities going on in our waters that must not be allowed to continue if we want a healthy ocean and planet,” he noted.

Bassey further stated that “corporate interests have been substituted for national and people-centred interests, as communities that live along the coasts, bear the brunt of such abnormalities. Now is the time for all to rise to the occasion to protect the ocean. The continued burning of the Ororo Oil well over a period of five years is a sad commentary on ecocide on our waters.”

Also lending his voice, Stephen Oduware, a Programme Manager with HOMEF and Coordinator of the Fishnet Alliance, a network of fishers across Africa, emphatically noted that the world’s fisheries depend on the ocean.

“The two major sides of the ocean bordering Africa – the Atlantic and Indian, along with their associated gulfs, are experiencing shortfalls in fishing due to vested and powerful interests. Industrial fishing, including the use of bottom trawlers, is partly responsible for unsustainable fishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the region.

“These practices not only harm fisheries but also harm the ocean and create imbalances in the ecosystems the ocean supports. These unchecked activities in the territorial waters of Africa must stop. Fishers of the world unite,” he noted.

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Edo Rep Member Distances Self From Cultism, Says Allegation Politically Motivated

Published

6 hours ago

June 8, 2025

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

Hon. Marcus Onobun, member representing Esan West, Esan Central and Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has described as false the rumours making the rounds that he’s involved in Cult-related activities in Iruekpen, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

The Edo rep member, in a disclaimer titled: ‘Re: Disclaimer on Alleged Cult-related Issues in Iruekpen’, which was made available to INFO DAILY on Sunday, said the allegations of his involvement in cultism were not only “false and baseless, unfounded but they also appear to be politically motivated, attempts to tarnish my hard-earned reputation, distraction from the developmental strides we are making, and undermine the trust and confidence the good people of Iruekpen and beyond have reposed in me.”

He stressed, “For the avoidance of doubt, I am not directly or indirectly involved in cultism nor have I ever supported, encouraged, financed, or participated in any activity that promotes it in any form whatsoever.”

Hon. Onobun, who stated that the last time he visited Edo State was 22nd April, 2025, noted that the allegation was to “lay a foundation for their wicked and clandestine plan to silence the opposition.”

He explained that though he got information from a reliable source that there was a clash in the community (Iruekpen) between two indigenes, such clash was never bear his residence but in a brothel.

“I am a firm believer in the rule of law, democratic principles, and peaceful co-existence,” he said.

The Edo rep member, while stating that security and safety of his constituents top is priority, urged the “media and the general public to exercise due diligence and verify facts before spreading information capable of causing panic and reputation damage.”

“The security and safety of our people tops my priorities as a federal lawmaker, as no development sees the light of the day in an unsafe environment, thus, the recently commissioned Police station in Iruekpen community,” he added.

Onobun urged “those behind these malicious fabrications,” to “desist from the politics of character assassination,” noting that “our community deserves leaders and citizens who promote unity, progress, and constructive dialogue not divisiveness and falsehood.”

He added: “I remain committed to the service of my people and to the peace, growth, and development of Iruekpen as my immediate community and the entire federal constituency at large. No amount of smear campaigns will deter me from fulfilling my mandate and standing for truth, justice, and good governance.”

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Democracy Day: FG Declares June 12 Public Holiday

Published

9 hours ago

June 8, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government has declared Thursday, 12th June, 2025 as Public Holiday in commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day celebration.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani in a statement on Sunday in Abuja said the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.

The minister congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of 26 years of uninterrupted civil rule.

He said; “June 12 represents our historic journey to building a nation where truth and justice reign and peace is sustained and our future assured.

“The last 26 years tells the story of our resilience, strength and courage and a hope Renewed than ever.”

Noting that democracy is sustained with open doors for further improvement, the minister reiterated the commitment of the Renewed Hope government of President Bola Tinubu to the universal value of democracy, based on freely-expressed will of the people in determining Nigeria’s political, economic, social and cultural systems.