Nearly 2,900 more people evacuated from Kabul: US before final drawdown

With the final drawdown of foreign forces from Afghanistan just a few hours away, the United States has evacuated nearly 2,900 more people from Kabul.

"From August 28 at 3:00 AM EDT to August 29 at 3:00 AM EDT, a total of approximately 2,900 people were evacuated from Kabul. This is the result of 32 U.S. military flights (26 C-17s and 6 C-130s), which carried approximately 2,200 evacuees, and 9 coalition flights, which carried 700 people," said White Hosue.

Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 114,400 people. Since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 120,000 people.

On Saturday, the Taliban sealed off Kabul airport in order to prevent large crowds from leaving the war-torn country as final NATO evacuation flights left Afghanistan.

New layers of checkpoints sprang up on roads leading to the airport, some manned by uniformed Taliban fighters with Humvees and night-vision goggles captured from Afghan security forces, reported Euronews.

This comes as US President Joe Biden is heading to Dover Air Force Base on Sunday to attend the "dignified transfer" of the remains of 13 US troops who were killed in the Kabul attack.

In the morning, the President and the First Lady will travel to Dover, Delaware. The departure from Joint Base Andrews and the arrival at Dover Air Force Base will be covered by the out-of-town pool.