Turkey begins pulling troops from Kabul airport as US deadline looms

Ankara's proposal to keep troops at Kabul airport appears dead in the water, at least for now.
British and Canadian soldiers stand guard near a canal in the late hours of Aug. 22, 2021, as Afghans wait outside the foreign military-controlled part of the airport in Kabul
British and Canadian soldiers stand guard near a canal in the late hours of Aug. 22, 2021, as Afghans wait outside the foreign military-controlled part of the airport in Kabul, hoping to flee the country following the Taliban's military takeover of Afghanistan. - WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images
Jared Szuba headshot (new)
Jared Szuba
@JM_Szuba

Turkey has begun withdrawing its troops from Kabul airport, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced Wednesday, as the US military aims to wrap up its evacuation mission in less than a week.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday again rejected Turkey’s proposal to leave troops at the airport, saying the Taliban is capable of dealing with airport security on its own.

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