August 29 Afghanistan-Taliban news

Evacuations from Afghanistan continue to decrease as the US drawdown from the country continues ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline for removing all US personnel from Afghanistan.

The White House announced Sunday morning that approximately 2,900 people were evacuated from Kabul from 3 a.m. ET Saturday to 3 a.m. ET Sunday. Those evacuations were carried out by 32 U.S. military flights which carried approximately 2,200 evacuees and nine coalition flights, which carried 700 people.

Approximately 6,800 people were evacuated from Kabul over the same stretch of time from Friday into Saturday.

Some context: Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed Saturday that US troops have begun retrograde withdrawal from the airport in Kabul, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki has said that the slowing evacuation numbers would coincide with the retrograde process.

“What it will also mean, as they move to this retrograde phase, is that there will be a reduction of numbers over the next couple of days,” Psaki said at Friday’s White House briefing.

President Biden will attend the dignified transfer of those American service members killed in last Thursday’s attack in Afghanistan, the White House announced Sunday.

Biden will take Air Force One to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to attend the dignified transfer. 

The President and the first lady will meet with the families of fallen American service members, according to the White House. They will then attend the dignified transfer at 12 p.m.

According to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, “the dignified transfer is not a ceremony; rather, it is a solemn movement of the transfer case by a carry team composed of military personnel from the fallen member's respective service.” 

President Biden outlined the steps surrounding Friday's strike against ISIS-K, saying, “I said we would go after the group responsible for the attack on our troops and innocent civilians in Kabul, and we have.”

Biden also offered praise for those service members killed in this week’s attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport.

"[T]he 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far," the statement said.

Biden added: “The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. ... Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours. I directed them to take every possible measure to prioritize force protection, and ensured that they have all the authorities, resources and plans to protect our men and women on the ground.”

Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, deputy director of the Joint Staff For Regional Operations, confirmed that two "high-profile ISIS targets" were killed Friday during a drone strike undertaken in Afghanistan.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said all the targets were hit in a single strike, and that they were “ISIS-K planners and facilitators.”