coalition forces began the evacuation, approximately 111,000 evacuees have departed safely. the state department counselor officers continue to screen and process people arriving at gates around kabul. some gates have been close and we reported but american citizens, siv applicants and vulnerable afghans with the designated and proper credentials will continue to be processed for departure from the airfield. there is still approximately 5,400 individuals on the airport as of this report awaiting for flights out of afghanistan. we have the ability to include evacuees on u.s. military airlift out of afghanistan until the very end. the department of defense has the continued responsibility to support the state department in the ongoing movement evacuees through our intermediate staging
civilians and surrounded by thousands of taliban fighters. most of these fighters are the most the strongest, most capable, they re almost their more elite like special forces kind of forces in the taliban. that was a strategic decision it seems on the part of the taliban to put them there. they wanted to have their best people who would listen to the taliban leadership about what they would be doing to maintain the perimeter around the airport. the 5,400 or so u.s. troops at that airport are completely surrounded. so and they re almost in a fishbowl. there s mountains surrounding them. the taliban have rocket propelled grenades ways of shooting down helicopters and other aircraft. a strong amount of fire power. they are controlling some of those gates. if the u.s. decides to stay past august 31st, against any sort of agreement that they have with the taliban right now, it would be the u.s. would have to
efficiency and since u.s. and coalition forces began the evacuation, approximately 111,000 evacuees have departed safely. the state department, consular offices continue to screen and officers continue to report. but american citizens, siv who have the designated and proper credentials will continue to be processed for departure from the airfield. there is still proximately 5400 individuals on the airport as of this report awaiting for flights out of afghanistan. we have the ability to include evacuees on u.s. military air lift out of afghanistan until the very end. the department of defense has the continued responsibility to support the state department in the ongoing movement of evacuees through our intermediate staging
most of the 5,400 or so troops that are there right now. everybody basically is combat ready in that group. and that s why they trimmed down 400 people from that group a few days ago. so everybody here is basically what we call head on a swivel. they are turning around 360 degrees to make sure they could see any type of threat that is directed at them personally if they go anywhere near the outside of the perimeter. on the other side of it, on the intelligence side, there is a lot of what we call intelligence overwatch that is happening here, and that is a lot of tactical collection that s going on as well as national collection that is fed to the troops. and that is essential to their well-being and to their safety. and with all of that, hopefully it will protect them from anything like this in the next few days. something the president talked about today, but the last
they re almost elite like special elite force, in the tal badge. that was a strategic decision, it seems, to put them there. they wanted to make sure they had their best people who would listen to the taliban leadership about what they would be doing to maintain the perimeter around the airport. the 5400 or so u.s. troops there at that airport are completely surrounded. they re almost in a fishbowl. there is mountains surrounding them. the taliban have rocket-propelled grenade, ways of shooting down helicopters and other aircraft. they are a strong enough fire power. if the u.s. decides to stay past august 31st against any sort of agreement they have with the taliban right now, it would be, the u.s. would have to flow in more forces and it would potentially be a very ugly fight and i think that s one thing that military planners are