WASHINGTON — The evacuation of American citizens and others from Afghanistan didn’t end with the departure of the last U.S. troops on Aug. 30, but it did slow to a trickle. The U.S. airlifted 124,000 people from Kabul, the capital, over about six weeks as the American-backed Afghan military and government fell to the Taliban.
Since then, several thousand people have managed to get out, mostly on flights arranged by the State Department or private groups and individuals. That includes some high-profile efforts, such as the Nov. 18 flight chartered by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West for members of Afghanistan’s women’s youth development soccer team and their families.
Most of the departures, however, have been carried out quietly for remaining American citizens, U.S. residents or people with the special immigrant visa for those who worked as military interpreters or otherwise aided the 20-year, Washington-led war effort. But people involved in these efforts are calling on the United States and other nations to do more to help people escape Taliban rule.
A look at the current situation:
WHO GOT OUT DURING THE INITIAL PHASE AND WHERE DID THEY GO?
As the Afghan government and military fell to the Taliban in August, the U.S. hastily sought to evacuate as many people as possible through the main airport in Kabul. It was a chaotic scene because the collapse happened more quickly than the U.S. government anticipated. The evacuation, mostly on military cargo jets, prioritized American citizens, U.S. permanent residents, special visa holders or those whose work would likely make them eligible, along with their families. The flights also carried people who were considered particularly vulnerable to Taliban retribution or their harsh rule, including journalists and human rights advocates.