A White House official said on Tuesday that at least 3,500 U.S. troops are now on the ground at the The Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKAI) in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
The official added that the airport is fully operational with planes landing and taking off.
More than 700 people were evacuated from the airport on Monday, including 150 American citizens, the official said.
“The Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKAI) is open, and flights are able to land and depart, including on the civilian side. As of this morning, there are 3,500 troops on the ground at HKAI. Today, U.S. military flights are taking off from HKAI with American citizens and U.S. Embassy personnel on board. Yesterday, we evacuated more than 700 people, including 150 American citizens,” the official said.
At a news conference on Tuesday, the Pentagon said its focus remains to secure the airport and evacuate civilians from Kabul airport.