‘It’s very unlikely’: Biden’s allies admit he cant meet Afghan evacuation deadline as extension decision looms

Some of Joe Biden’s allies are pointing out that the 31 August deadline to completely evacuate Americans and local allies from Afghanistan is becoming increasingly hard to reach, even as the president is set to make a decision by Tuesday on a deadline extension.

Tens of thousands still remain to be airlifted from the conflict-torn country.

Completing the pullout, including of the US army troops carrying out evacuation operations, by 31 August is “unlikely”, Adam Schiff, a Democratic representative said, pointing to the number of American citizens who remain in Afghanistan.

“I think it’s possible but I think it’s very unlikely given the number of Americans who still need to be evacuated,” Mr Schiff, who is also the chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, told reporters on Monday.

Some reports estimate a crowd of 20,000 people are present at Kabul’s international airport since 15 August, the day the Taliban took control of the national capital without firing a single shot. Since then, people have been crowding the airport in a bid to flee the country and escape the militant group’s rule.

Mr Biden has been in talks with allies and world leaders, including UK prime minister Boris Johnson and French president Emmanuel Macron and has discussed the situation in Afghanistan with them.

The US president spoke to world leaders ahead of the G7 summit, where there is a possibility the US’s decision to pull out of the country may come under fire.

Mr Biden is expected to announce his decision to extend the deadline after the summit.

The decision will be taken by Mr Biden within 24 hours in part to give the Pentagon time to prepare accordingly, an unnamed administration official told news agency Reuters.

The Taliban, who has wrested control of Afghanistan, is on the back foot and has refused to tolerate any extensions, warning that any increase in the deadline will result in “consequences”, even as some reports have said US officials on the ground have been trying to come to an understanding with the militant group since 15 August to allow Americans and allies to reach Kabul’s airport.

Pointing out another challenge in the evacuation operation, Department of Defence officials have said the US needs more time to fly out the nearly 6,000 US troops stationed on Afghan soil to carry out airlifting operations.

This is in addition to the evacuation of thousands of Americans, citizens of allied countries and local Afghan population who have aided US forces in the last two decades.

A major portion of the Kabul airport is still under the US military’s control which is said to be the only exit route for people in the country.

Some of Mr Biden’s advisers, however, have highlighted security threats and have cautioned the president against extending the 31 August deadline.

But a senior State Department official said the US’s commitment to Afghans at risk “doesn’t end on 31 August”.

Mr Biden on Sunday pointed to discussions taking place within the military as well on extending the deadline. “There’s discussions going on in the military about extending. My hope is we will not have to extend, but there are going to be discussions,” he said.

Nearly 48,000 people have been evacuated in the last 10 days, according to new data shared by the White House.

The US pull out from Afghanistan has widely been described by political commentators and experts as a debacle. The decision to pull out of the country was first taken by former president Donald Trump, who had reached an agreement with the Taliban.

Mr Biden has maintained he has only been following through on his predecessor’s decision, even as the handling of the evacuation process has roundly come under fire.

At least 20 people have reportedly died so far because of firings and stampedes at the Kabul airport.