CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

U.S. Embassy in Kabul to be Shuttered Within 72 Hours: CNN

Initial reports suggested a few diplomats would stay on at the embassy in the Afghan capital, but even those people will be relocated to Kabul airport for swift evacuation.

As the situation in Afghanistan quickly deteriorates, the U.S. State Department will now evacuate all personnel from its embassy in Kabul within 72 hours, according to CNN. Initially, the state department said it would keep a few key diplomats in the enclave, but on Sunday, they said they would completely shutter the embassy and move any remaining personnel to the Kabul airport for evacuation if necessary. Last week, personnel were ordered to destroy classified documents to avoid leaving any compromising security information in the Taliban’s hands. CNN quoted one senior diplomat saying that the primary reason for the full pullout is because the U.S. does not have adequate intelligence on the ground despite having spent two decades training and supporting the Afghan national army.