The Unites States will temporarily send 3,000 additional troops to Afghanistan to help evacuate personnel from the embassy in Kabul, Pentagon and State Department officials told reporters on Thursday. The troops will arrive as the US military is pulling back its troops from the country, as part of an agreement with the insurgent Taliban. All US fighters are expected to be out of the country by the end of the month.
The troops arriving over the next 48 hours will provide ground and air support for the processing of those leaving and for the security of Americans heading to the Kabul airport, according to reports.
The decision to evacuate embassy personnel and their families comes as a reported 10th provincial capital fell on Thursday to the Taliban, located near the capital Kabul. The embassy will remain open, however, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
The capture of the capitals is part of the Taliban offenses that began in May, as the United States began withdrawing troops from the country; the withdrawal is set to be complete by the end of the month. US President Joe Biden said earlier this week that he would not rescind his decision to remove the US military presence from Afghanistan.