US troops may stay past withdrawal deadline: Biden
GBNEWS24DESK//
US President Joe Biden says US troops may stay in Afghanistan beyond his planned 31 August withdrawal date to help evacuate Americans.
There have been chaotic scenes at Kabul Airport as foreign powers seek to get their citizens home.
President Biden again defended his handling of Afghanistan, where the Taliban have capitalised on the US pulling out to sweep to power, BBC reports.
He told US broadcaster ABC News he didn’t think he’d made any mistakes.
“The idea that somehow there’s a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don’t know how that happens,” he said.
Mr Biden had wanted US forces out by the end of this month, but thousands of US citizens are stranded in the country.
Washington has pledged to evacuate all remaining American citizens, along with 50-65,000 Afghans – such as former translators for the US military.
Over 5,000 US troops are on the ground helping operations at Kabul’s airport but Taliban fighters and checkpoints ring the perimeter.
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