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Taliban at Kabul's doorstep, US embassy asks staff to wipe sensitive documents
The Taliban have captured most of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in recent weeks, leaving the western-backed government in control of a smattering of provinces in the center and east, as well as the capital, Kabul.
Aug. 14 - ...The US embassy in the capital city is scrambling to destroy its classified documents and evacuate American citizens. In an internal memo, as reported by CNN, the embassy has asked its staff for the disposal of the American flag or items that could be used for propaganda.
The notice, which according to CNN, is titled "Emergency Destruction Services", describes the fire situation on the ground as more and more cities fall to Taliban. The notice further said that destruction support will be provided daily to ensure all the sensitive material is destroyed. It has called for using various methods, like burn bins, a disintegrator and an incinerator, according to CNN... more
The Taliban have captured most of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in recent weeks, leaving the western-backed government in control of a smattering of provinces in the center and east, as well as the capital, Kabul.
Aug. 14 - ...The US embassy in the capital city is scrambling to destroy its classified documents and evacuate American citizens. In an internal memo, as reported by CNN, the embassy has asked its staff for the disposal of the American flag or items that could be used for propaganda.
The notice, which according to CNN, is titled "Emergency Destruction Services", describes the fire situation on the ground as more and more cities fall to Taliban. The notice further said that destruction support will be provided daily to ensure all the sensitive material is destroyed. It has called for using various methods, like burn bins, a disintegrator and an incinerator, according to CNN... more
There's no way you can tell the Afghan people the US is with them'
Aug 13 - State Department spokesman Ned Price was hounded by reporters on Thursday as he tried to explain the Biden administration's decision to evacuate much of its embassy personnel, at the same time touting 'diplomacy' advances with the Taliban.
'This is not abandonment. This is not an evacuation,' Price assured reporters numerous times throughout his briefing. 'What this is is a reduction in the size of our civilian footprint.'
'It appears to be a preparation for a full evacuation,' one reporter said. 'That's not true,' the spokesman responded.
'I respect you and we all know you have a job to do,' CBS reporter Christina Ruffini said to Price.
'But there is no way you can sit there and say that the people of Afghanistan watching the Taliban take over provinces, watching their country crumble are now going to watch American diplomats get on military planes and leave the country that that sends a signal that the U.S. is with them in the long haul diplomatically'... more
Aug 13 - State Department spokesman Ned Price was hounded by reporters on Thursday as he tried to explain the Biden administration's decision to evacuate much of its embassy personnel, at the same time touting 'diplomacy' advances with the Taliban.
'This is not abandonment. This is not an evacuation,' Price assured reporters numerous times throughout his briefing. 'What this is is a reduction in the size of our civilian footprint.'
'It appears to be a preparation for a full evacuation,' one reporter said. 'That's not true,' the spokesman responded.
'I respect you and we all know you have a job to do,' CBS reporter Christina Ruffini said to Price.
'But there is no way you can sit there and say that the people of Afghanistan watching the Taliban take over provinces, watching their country crumble are now going to watch American diplomats get on military planes and leave the country that that sends a signal that the U.S. is with them in the long haul diplomatically'... more
AUGUST 13, 2021
Defense Department Briefing
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided an update on the Defense Department’s role in the removal of U.S. civilians and Afghan refugees from the country.
Defense Department Briefing
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided an update on the Defense Department’s role in the removal of U.S. civilians and Afghan refugees from the country.
Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing
AUG. 13, 2021
Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby
PRESS SECRETARY JOHN F. KIRBY: Good afternoon. A couple of things at the top here....
I can give you a -- a brief update of a few additional details since yesterday. Now, as I do this, I think you can understand that I'm not going to have every detail that you might want. There's operational security that's still going to be a concern, and we're going to -- we're going to observe that here, just like -- as we have throughout the entire drawdown process. But I can tell you a couple of things.
First, U.S. Forces Afghanistan Forward continue to provide security at the Kabul airport and at the embassy. These are the existing security elements that were already in Kabul. This comprised of attack and lift aviation assets, infantry, security personnel and some intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance assets that are already there at the airport. And they stay there, and they are still doing their jobs in terms of internal security there at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
The troop movements that we mentioned yesterday are happening as we speak. Three battalions are preparing to move from their current locations in the Central Command area of responsibility to Kabul, and they consist of a Marine battalion that was already pre-staged in the region and has lifts, sustainment and support capabilities. An infantry -- a -- a -- another Marine infantry battalion from a Marine expeditionary unit and a U.S. Army infantry battalion... more
AUG. 13, 2021
Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby
PRESS SECRETARY JOHN F. KIRBY: Good afternoon. A couple of things at the top here....
I can give you a -- a brief update of a few additional details since yesterday. Now, as I do this, I think you can understand that I'm not going to have every detail that you might want. There's operational security that's still going to be a concern, and we're going to -- we're going to observe that here, just like -- as we have throughout the entire drawdown process. But I can tell you a couple of things.
First, U.S. Forces Afghanistan Forward continue to provide security at the Kabul airport and at the embassy. These are the existing security elements that were already in Kabul. This comprised of attack and lift aviation assets, infantry, security personnel and some intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance assets that are already there at the airport. And they stay there, and they are still doing their jobs in terms of internal security there at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
The troop movements that we mentioned yesterday are happening as we speak. Three battalions are preparing to move from their current locations in the Central Command area of responsibility to Kabul, and they consist of a Marine battalion that was already pre-staged in the region and has lifts, sustainment and support capabilities. An infantry -- a -- a -- another Marine infantry battalion from a Marine expeditionary unit and a U.S. Army infantry battalion... more
US and British forces are being deployed to Afghanistan to help evacuate thousands of nationals, embassy staff and Afghans who worked for them as Taliban forces retake swathes of the country.
US troops start to arrive for Afghanistan evacuation as Taliban close in on Kabul
Thousands of western nationals and vulnerable Afghans to be airlifted out of Kabul as Taliban launch major assault on northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif
Aug 14 - US troops have begun arriving in Afghanistan to help evacuate thousands of people, including embassy staff, and Afghans and their families who worked for them as a sweeping Taliban offensive draws ever nearer to Kabul.
Diplomats and nationals from a host of western countries are scrambling to leave the capital, with insurgent fighters now camped just 50km (30 miles) away after a campaign that has seen provincial capitals swiftly fall.
On Saturday, the Taliban launched a multi-pronged assault on Mazar-i-Sharif, a major city in northern Afghanistan defended by powerful former warlords, according to Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor in Balkh province. There was no immediate word on casualties.
President Ashraf Ghani had flown to the city on Wednesday to rally its defences, meeting several militia commanders allied with the government.
In Kabul, US embassy staff have been ordered to begin shredding and burning sensitive material, as units from a planned re-deployment of 3,000 American troops started arriving to secure the airport and oversee the evacuations. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said “elements” of a battalion were now in Kabul, the vanguard of three Marine and Army battalions that the US was sending to the city.
Kirby said that most of the troops would be in place by Sunday and “will be able to move thousands per day” out of Afghanistan. “Capacity is not going to be a problem,” he said.
The US is also moving an additional 4,500 to 5,000 troops to bases in the Gulf countries of Qatar and Kuwait, including 1,000 to Qatar to speed up visa processing for Afghan translators and others who fear retribution from the Taliban for their past work with Americans, and their family members.
Kirby said some of those troops would be a reserve force on standby “in case we need even more” than the 3,000 going to Kabul.
Helicopters have been flitting back and forth between Kabul’s airport and the sprawling US diplomatic compound in the heavily fortified Green Zone – 46 years after Americans were airlifted out of Saigon, signalling the end of the Vietnam war.
The UK said about 600 troops would be deployed on a short-term basis to support British nationals leaving. Earlier on Friday, many countries including Spain, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands announced the withdrawal of staff from their respective embassies.
Canada said the first plane-loads of asylum seekers have already landed in Toronto on Friday, as part of its promise to take in up to 20,000 Afghan refugees, including women leaders and government workers.
On Friday, insurgents took control of four more provincial capitals, having on Thursday seized Kandahar and Herat, the second and third-largest cities. Afghan government forces are in disarray, and there are reports the vice-president, Amrullah Saleh, has fled.
US military intelligence suggests Kabul could come under pressure within 30 days. If trends continue, the Taliban are likely to gain full control of the country in months... more
US troops start to arrive for Afghanistan evacuation as Taliban close in on Kabul
Thousands of western nationals and vulnerable Afghans to be airlifted out of Kabul as Taliban launch major assault on northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif
Aug 14 - US troops have begun arriving in Afghanistan to help evacuate thousands of people, including embassy staff, and Afghans and their families who worked for them as a sweeping Taliban offensive draws ever nearer to Kabul.
Diplomats and nationals from a host of western countries are scrambling to leave the capital, with insurgent fighters now camped just 50km (30 miles) away after a campaign that has seen provincial capitals swiftly fall.
On Saturday, the Taliban launched a multi-pronged assault on Mazar-i-Sharif, a major city in northern Afghanistan defended by powerful former warlords, according to Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor in Balkh province. There was no immediate word on casualties.
President Ashraf Ghani had flown to the city on Wednesday to rally its defences, meeting several militia commanders allied with the government.
In Kabul, US embassy staff have been ordered to begin shredding and burning sensitive material, as units from a planned re-deployment of 3,000 American troops started arriving to secure the airport and oversee the evacuations. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said “elements” of a battalion were now in Kabul, the vanguard of three Marine and Army battalions that the US was sending to the city.
Kirby said that most of the troops would be in place by Sunday and “will be able to move thousands per day” out of Afghanistan. “Capacity is not going to be a problem,” he said.
The US is also moving an additional 4,500 to 5,000 troops to bases in the Gulf countries of Qatar and Kuwait, including 1,000 to Qatar to speed up visa processing for Afghan translators and others who fear retribution from the Taliban for their past work with Americans, and their family members.
Kirby said some of those troops would be a reserve force on standby “in case we need even more” than the 3,000 going to Kabul.
Helicopters have been flitting back and forth between Kabul’s airport and the sprawling US diplomatic compound in the heavily fortified Green Zone – 46 years after Americans were airlifted out of Saigon, signalling the end of the Vietnam war.
The UK said about 600 troops would be deployed on a short-term basis to support British nationals leaving. Earlier on Friday, many countries including Spain, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands announced the withdrawal of staff from their respective embassies.
Canada said the first plane-loads of asylum seekers have already landed in Toronto on Friday, as part of its promise to take in up to 20,000 Afghan refugees, including women leaders and government workers.
On Friday, insurgents took control of four more provincial capitals, having on Thursday seized Kandahar and Herat, the second and third-largest cities. Afghan government forces are in disarray, and there are reports the vice-president, Amrullah Saleh, has fled.
US military intelligence suggests Kabul could come under pressure within 30 days. If trends continue, the Taliban are likely to gain full control of the country in months... more
North Africa Fires Spread to Libya and Tunisia
Aug. 14 - As unusually hot weather persists over parts of Northern Africa, new forest fires reportedly have broken out in Tunisia and Libya during the past 24 hours, in addition to many that are still burning in Algeria.
The presidents of Algeria and Tunisia are accusing arsonists of setting many of the fires, while Algerian media said 22 alleged arsonists have been caught.
Amateur video showed a forest fire raging out of control near the Libyan city of Bayada in the Jebel Akhdar region, east of the country, overnight. Libya's 218 TV network reported that fire crews in the region were trying to put out the blaze.
A number of fires also broke out in Tunisia Thursday near the border with Algeria... more
Aug. 14 - As unusually hot weather persists over parts of Northern Africa, new forest fires reportedly have broken out in Tunisia and Libya during the past 24 hours, in addition to many that are still burning in Algeria.
The presidents of Algeria and Tunisia are accusing arsonists of setting many of the fires, while Algerian media said 22 alleged arsonists have been caught.
Amateur video showed a forest fire raging out of control near the Libyan city of Bayada in the Jebel Akhdar region, east of the country, overnight. Libya's 218 TV network reported that fire crews in the region were trying to put out the blaze.
A number of fires also broke out in Tunisia Thursday near the border with Algeria... more
Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Eviction Moratorium
AUGUST 13, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
Throughout the pandemic, preventing evictions and keeping people in their homes has been a proven way of slowing the spread of COVID-19.
The Administration believes that CDC’s new moratorium is a proper use of its lawful authority to protect the public health. We are pleased that the district court left the moratorium in place, though we are aware that further proceedings in this case are likely.
The President continues to call on State and local elected officials and judges to issue local eviction moratoriums and move aggressively to distribute the $46.5 billion in emergency rental assistance funds that are available through the bipartisan COVID relief act that Congress passed in December 2020, and through the President’s American Rescue Plan that was enacted in March 2021. And, the President calls on landlords to seek out rental assistance and not evict tenants from their homes, and echoes Attorney General Garland’s calls for state and local courts to implement policies to discourage eviction filings until landlords and tenants have sought emergency rental assistance funds. source
AUGUST 13, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
Throughout the pandemic, preventing evictions and keeping people in their homes has been a proven way of slowing the spread of COVID-19.
The Administration believes that CDC’s new moratorium is a proper use of its lawful authority to protect the public health. We are pleased that the district court left the moratorium in place, though we are aware that further proceedings in this case are likely.
The President continues to call on State and local elected officials and judges to issue local eviction moratoriums and move aggressively to distribute the $46.5 billion in emergency rental assistance funds that are available through the bipartisan COVID relief act that Congress passed in December 2020, and through the President’s American Rescue Plan that was enacted in March 2021. And, the President calls on landlords to seek out rental assistance and not evict tenants from their homes, and echoes Attorney General Garland’s calls for state and local courts to implement policies to discourage eviction filings until landlords and tenants have sought emergency rental assistance funds. source
NBC Nightly News Broadcast (Full) - August 13th, 2021
Aug 14, 2021
The Taliban takes control of two major cities ahead of U.S. embassy evacuations, a CDC panel recommends third vaccine dose for immunocompromised people, and the growing battle over mask mandates as schools reopen.
00:00 Intro
01:24 Taliban takes control of two major cities
04:43 Biden under pressure
06:09 Human rights lawyer on future of Afghans
08:38 Taliban takeover endangers Afghan women and children
09:23 CDC panel recommends third vaccine dose
11:41 Growing battle over mask mandates as schools reopen
14:06 Philadelphia DA charges 3 former detectives
17:35 Travel insurance purchases increase as Covid cases rise
Aug 14, 2021
The Taliban takes control of two major cities ahead of U.S. embassy evacuations, a CDC panel recommends third vaccine dose for immunocompromised people, and the growing battle over mask mandates as schools reopen.
00:00 Intro
01:24 Taliban takes control of two major cities
04:43 Biden under pressure
06:09 Human rights lawyer on future of Afghans
08:38 Taliban takeover endangers Afghan women and children
09:23 CDC panel recommends third vaccine dose
11:41 Growing battle over mask mandates as schools reopen
14:06 Philadelphia DA charges 3 former detectives
17:35 Travel insurance purchases increase as Covid cases rise
