America’s longest war ended
Washington, Aug 30:The United States ended its withdrawal of troops and civilians from Afghanistan by late Monday night. It ended the longest war in American history. Hours before President Joe Biden’s deadline for a final airlift on Tuesday, Air Force transport planes picked up the last contingent of US troops from Kabul airport.
Thousands of Afghans, Americans and others were evacuated by thousands of troops over a two-week period.
Announcing the end of the war and efforts to evacuate people, US Central Command chief General Frank McKenzie said the last plane took off from Kabul airport at 3:29 pm Washington time. Americans lag behind in numbers. He said he believed he too would be out of the country soon.
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken put the number of Americans left behind at close to 200. He said the foreign ministry would try to get him out soon. He said that the evacuation of people by the army was completed with great courage. Blinken said the United States would now operate diplomatically from Doha, Qatar.
