‘The game will change now’: 3,000 U.S. troops arrive in Afghanistan after Taliban capture

After the Taliban allegedly took Kandahar, the United States announced on Thursday that it would send an additional 3000 troops to Afghanistan to support the orderly reduction of civilian personnel. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters in Washington that in addition to 3000 troops, over 3,500 US troops will be on standby in Kuwait, and 1,000 military personnel will go to Qatar to assist with the processing of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants. 20 years after the Twin Towers were attacked, the US has set 11 September 2021 as the deadline for troops’ withdrawal.

 US sends more troops to Afghanistan
‘In the next 24-48 hours, three infantry battalions will move to Kabul airport. That’s roughly 3,000 soldiers,’ said Kirby. ‘The forces have been deployed to support a safe and orderly reduction of civilian personnel at the State Department’s request. This is a temporary mission with a narrow focus. Our commanders have an inherent right to self-defense, and any attack on them will be met with the forceful response’, he added. As part of this development, Canada and the UK sent additional forces to Kabul to help their nationals leave.

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Taliban capture Kandahar
Afghanistan’s officials announced on Thursday that the Taliban have taken over another provincial capital, Kandahar – the second largest city in the entire country. Kandahar fell on Thursday night, and government officials and their entourage fled to the airport to escape the city by air. This is the 12th provincial capital out of Afghanistan’s 34 that the insurgents have taken during their weeklong assault.

As a result of the Taliban’s capture of a strategic province near Kabul, Afghanistan’s embattled government is being further squeezed. The American mission there is set to end in a few weeks. In Doha, where peace talks are being held between the Afghan government and the Taliban, envoys from the United States, China, and others called for an accelerated peace process for Afghanistan and a halt to attacks on provincial capitals and cities in Afghanistan. Moreover, they reaffirmed that foreign capitals would not recognize any government in Afghanistan imposed through military force.