Washington – United States President Joe Biden says US troops may stay in Afghanistan beyond his planned August 31 withdrawal date to help evacuate Americans.
There have been chaotic scenes at Kabul Airport as foreign powers seek to get their citizens home.
President Biden again defended his handling of Afghanistan, where the Taliban have capitalised on the US pulling out to sweep to power.
He told US broadcaster ABC News he didn’t think he’d made any mistakes.
“The idea that somehow there’s a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don’t know how that happens,” he said.
Biden had wanted US forces out by the end of this month, but thousands of US citizens are stranded in the country.
Washington has pledged to evacuate all remaining American citizens, along with 50-65 000 Afghans – such as former translators for the US military.
Over 5 000 US troops are on the ground helping operations at Kabul’s airport but Taliban fighters and checkpoints ring the perimeter.
The Taliban are blocking Afghans from entering the airport without travel documents – but even those with valid authorisation have struggled.
In his interview, Biden was asked about images that went viral this week of Afghans falling from an American military plane as it gained altitude over Kabul.
“What I thought was . . . we have to gain control of this. We have to move this more quickly. We have to move in a way in which we can take control of that airport. And we did,” he said.
On helping US citizens stuck in Afghanistan, he said “if there’s American citizens left, we’re gonna stay till we get them all out”. (BBC)
