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Last U.S. military flight leaves Kabul; Biden to address nation Tuesday

Key updates
No American civilians on last five military flights out of Kabul, Central Command chief says
Final military flights leave Kabul
Pentagon says ‘future potential threats’ likely after rockets fired at Kabul airport
The Pentagon on Aug. 30 said that the United States had pulled out the last of its troops, signifying the completion of a 20-year war. (Video: The Washington Post)
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Updated August 30, 2021 at 9:35 p.m. EDT|Published August 30, 2021 at 6:29 p.m. EDT

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The Pentagon said Monday that the United States had pulled out the last of its troops from Afghanistan and that the evacuation operation at Kabul’s international airport had ended.

The departure caps a chaotic withdrawal that was rushed by the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country and scarred by a suicide attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 other people. More than 120,000 people had been evacuated since Aug. 14, amounting to one of the largest airlifts in history, but the deteriorating security and chaos at the airport resulted in some Americans and thousands of Afghan allies being left behind.

In a news conference, Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie announced “the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the military mission to evacuate American citizens, third-country nationals and vulnerable Afghans.”  
No American civilians on last five military flights out of Kabul, Central Command chief says
Final military flights leave Kabul
Pentagon says ‘future potential threats’ likely after rockets fired at Kabul airport

Here’s what to know

  • No American civilians were on the last five flights, McKenzie said.
  • A U.S. drone strike targeting Islamic State militants killed 10 civilians over the weekend, family members said Monday.
  • The United Nations pleaded with the international community Monday to remain focused on the plight of Afghan civilians, warning that “a far greater humanitarian crisis is just beginning” as evacuations from Afghanistan end.
  • Five rockets were fired at the Kabul airport early Monday, one of which was intercepted by a missile defense system, according to the Pentagon.
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Here's what to know:

No American civilians were on the last five flights, McKenzie said.
A U.S. drone strike targeting Islamic State militants killed 10 civilians over the weekend, family members said Monday.
The United Nations pleaded with the international community Monday to remain focused on the plight of Afghan civilians, warning that “a far greater humanitarian crisis is just beginning” as evacuations from Afghanistan end.
Five rockets were fired at the Kabul airport early Monday, one of which was intercepted by a missile defense system, according to the Pentagon.

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