The US is sending 3,000 troops back to Afghanistan to help evacuate staff from its embassy in Kabul.

Over the next two days, one Army and two Marine infantry battalions will go to Kabul airport to help with the partial embassy evacuation, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday.

‘We believe this is it the prudent thing to do given the rapidly deteriorating security situation in and around Kabul,’ Kirby said.

The move comes as the Taliban as of Thursday gained control of 11 provincial capital cities, which is roughly two-thirds of Afghanistan.

The Pentagon had kept about 650 American troops in Afghanistan in order to ensure US diplomatic security.

President Joe Biden a few months ago announced that the US would pull all its troops from Afghanistan. Since then, the Taliban has made significant advances, at a rate even faster than US officials foresaw.

Biden has made no indication that he plans to reverse his decision.

The Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until the US entered the country in retaliation for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Taliban took three provincial capitals on Wednesday and two capitals it took on Thursday were the 10th and 11th in the sweep.

Breaking story, check back for updates…

Source: Read Full Article