The Biden administration will deploy 3,000 troops to Afghanistan in order to facilitate the drawdown of personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul as the Taliban rapidly advances toward the Afghan capital.
The troops, which will consist of three infantry battalions in total from the Marines and Army, will deploy to Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport within 24 to 48 hours, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said during a press briefing Thursday.
Additionally, a U.S. infantry brigade will be positioned in Kuwait in the event it is needed in Afghanistan to help secure the airport.
Meanwhile, a joint unit from the Army and Air Force, consisting of 1,000 personnel, will deploy to Qatar to help process special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals who assisted U.S. and NATO troops during the war.
Kirby said that despite the temporary influx of troops into Afghanistan, the U.S. expects to fully withdraw all troops by Aug. 31.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul urged Americans again on Thursday to leave Afghanistan immediately, warning that its ability to assist citizens is “extremely limited” due to deteriorating security conditions and reduced staffing.