US fighter jets flying over Kabul as US troops fire shots and use teargas on desperate crowds
US fighter jets are flying over Kabul to ensure the safety of Americans being evacuated as troops at the airport reportedly use teargas to keep back the desperate crowds.
The Pentagon revealed on Thursday that armed fighter jets have been engaged in “overwatch” missions but claimed there are no hostile interactions with the Taliban, or attempts to impede the evacuation from .
"The overwatch flights ... have been in the air since before the noncombatant evacuation operation," he said.
"It's a prudent force protection measure in the air, to make sure that we can protect our people and our operations against any threat.
"This is a continuum. It is not something new,” Kirby added.
"Protection is the prudent and responsible thing to do."
It comes as it was revealed that only 7,000 people have been evacuated from the country since Sunday.
Army Major General William Taylor said Thursday that more gates have now been opened at the airport and 5,200 troops are placed on guard in an attempt to speed up the process.
Taylor also claimed that there were no hostile interactions with the Taliban at the airport or fighters impeding the movement of US citizens through the airport.
"We've made it very clear to the Taliban that any attack upon our people in our operations at the airport would be met with a forceful response," he said.
Taylor added that the Pentagon continues to recognize the "inherent danger of operating in this environment," but that US troops remain "agile, professional, and are postured to continue the mission, and to respond if required."
He said the US is “committed to the safe evacuation of as many people as quickly and as safely as possible."
have been seen surrounding the streets around the airport in efforts to prevent Afghans from being evacuated.
According to DailyMail.com, 12 US Air Force C-17 cargo jets removed only 2,000 people from the region overnight.
One video appears to show a crowd of people gathered around men in camouflage fatigues - understood to be the Taliban's elite Badri 313 special forces unit - before the shooting begins.
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Officials said the current goal is simply to protect the airport.
"At this time, as our main mission continues to be to secure it, to allow those American citizens and other civilians to come in and be processed at the airfield," Taylor said.