WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has authorized an additional 1,000 U.S. troops for deployment to Afghanistan.
That's according to a media statement by a defense official.
The added troops would raise to roughly 5,000 the number of U.S. troops to ensure what Biden is calling an “orderly and safe drawdown” of American and allied personnel.
U.S. troops will also help in the evacuation of Afghans who worked with the military during the nearly two-decade war.
The last-minute decision to send 3,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan to help partially evacuate the U.S. Embassy is calling into question whether President Joe Biden will meet his Aug. 31 deadline for fully withdrawing combat forces. It also reflects the dire state of security as the Taliban have seized control of multiple Afghan cities.
The vanguard of a Marine contingent arrived in Kabul on Friday and most of the rest of the troops are due by Sunday.
