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Afghanistan

U.S. To Begin Evacuation Flights From Afghanistan In July

Former Afghan interpreters who worked with U.S. troops in Afghanistan protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul on June 25.
Former Afghan interpreters who worked with U.S. troops in Afghanistan protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul on June 25.

The Biden administration has announced that it is set to begin evacuations of Afghans who aided the U.S. military effort in the nearly 20-year war during the last week of July.

Operation Allies Refuge flights out of Afghanistan will be available first for special immigrant visa applicants already in the process of applying for U.S. residency, the White House said on July 14.

President Joe Biden has faced pressure from U.S. lawmakers to come up with a plan to help evacuate Afghan military helpers ahead of next month's U.S. military withdrawal.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to detail how many Afghans are expected to be among those evacuated in the first flights or where those evacuated will be taken, citing security concerns.

"The reason that we are taking these steps is because these are courageous individuals," Psaki said. "We want to make sure we recognize and value the role they've played over the last several years."

A State Department unit coordinating the evacuations will be run by veteran Ambassador Tracey Jacobson and include representatives from the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, official said earlier.

Deputy Homeland Security Adviser Russ Travers will coordinate an interagency policy process related to the evacuations.

Hit And Run: Afghan Special Forces Battle Elusive Taliban

A Humvee hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) burns during an early morning mission by Afghan special forces on July 13. The elite troops were attempting to rescue police commander Ahmad Shah, who was besieged by Taliban militants on the outskirts of the southern city of Kandahar.
1/13 A Humvee hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) burns during an early morning mission by Afghan special forces on July 13. The elite troops were attempting to rescue police commander Ahmad Shah, who was besieged by Taliban militants on the outskirts of the southern city of Kandahar.
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
A civilian runs for cover amid a shoot-out that erupted as Afghan special forces neared the checkpoint where Shah was holed up. A Reuters photographer traveling with the convoy says gunfire appeared to come from both sides of the road before several RPGs were fired at the vehicles. 
2/13 A civilian runs for cover amid a shoot-out that erupted as Afghan special forces neared the checkpoint where Shah was holed up. A Reuters photographer traveling with the convoy says gunfire appeared to come from both sides of the road before several RPGs were fired at the vehicles. 
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
A Humvee wrecked during the July 13 rescue mission. Three of the eight vehicles used in the operation took direct hits from RPGs and had to be left behind. 
3/13 A Humvee wrecked during the July 13 rescue mission. Three of the eight vehicles used in the operation took direct hits from RPGs and had to be left behind. 
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
An Afghan special forces soldier during the rescue mission. After three vehicles were destroyed by RPG fire, commandos piled into the remaining vehicles. 
4/13 An Afghan special forces soldier during the rescue mission. After three vehicles were destroyed by RPG fire, commandos piled into the remaining vehicles. 
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
The convoy returning to base after Shah was successfully rescued. None of the special forces involved in the operation was killed. Shah suffered a leg injury.
5/13 The convoy returning to base after Shah was successfully rescued. None of the special forces involved in the operation was killed. Shah suffered a leg injury.
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
A special forces soldier stops traffic near the site where the convoy came under attack.&nbsp;Shah told Reuters after being rescued: &quot;<span style="font-size: 1em;">We were 15 [police] and all my comrades surrendered [to the Taliban] except me...</span><span style="font-size: 1em;">I said to myself that I&#39;m not going to do that and, as long as I have a gun, why should I give up?&quot;</span>
6/13 A special forces soldier stops traffic near the site where the convoy came under attack. Shah told Reuters after being rescued: "We were 15 [police] and all my comrades surrendered [to the Taliban] except me...I said to myself that I'm not going to do that and, as long as I have a gun, why should I give up?"
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
The battle-weary fighters freshen up at their base after the July 13 rescue mission.&nbsp;The dangerous assignment came at dawn, just minutes after the elite soldiers had returned to their base from a late-night mission.&nbsp;
7/13 The battle-weary fighters freshen up at their base after the July 13 rescue mission. The dangerous assignment came at dawn, just minutes after the elite soldiers had returned to their base from a late-night mission. 
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
Special forces soldiers pray ahead of a nighttime mission in Kandahar on July 12. A commander told Reuters ahead of the assignment that he had received a report &quot;that the enemy had infiltrated here and wanted to overthrow the district.&quot;
8/13 Special forces soldiers pray ahead of a nighttime mission in Kandahar on July 12. A commander told Reuters ahead of the assignment that he had received a report "that the enemy had infiltrated here and wanted to overthrow the district."
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
A special forces soldier speaks to a resident as others search his house during the anti-Taliban operation on July 12.&nbsp;
9/13 A special forces soldier speaks to a resident as others search his house during the anti-Taliban operation on July 12. 
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
A pro-government militiaman loads his rifle as the special forces visit a government-held base on July 12. Many militias in the country have vowed to fight alongside government troops against the advancing Taliban, which has taken control of dozens of districts in Afghanistan since U.S.-led military forces began withdrawing on May 1.
10/13 A pro-government militiaman loads his rifle as the special forces visit a government-held base on July 12. Many militias in the country have vowed to fight alongside government troops against the advancing Taliban, which has taken control of dozens of districts in Afghanistan since U.S.-led military forces began withdrawing on May 1.
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
Members of the Afghan special forces search a house during the combat mission against the Taliban. The extremist Islamist group is known for attacking and then melting away, making the fight against the militants extremely difficult in populated areas.&nbsp;
11/13 Members of the Afghan special forces search a house during the combat mission against the Taliban. The extremist Islamist group is known for attacking and then melting away, making the fight against the militants extremely difficult in populated areas. 
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
A special-forces soldier treats an Afghan National Army soldier who was injured in a firefight with the Taliban on June 12.&nbsp;
12/13 A special-forces soldier treats an Afghan National Army soldier who was injured in a firefight with the Taliban on June 12. 
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
Members of the Afghan special forces keep watch as comrades search houses during the nighttime mission in Kandahar.&nbsp;Taliban spokesmen claim the Islamic extremist group has taken control of 85 percent of Afghanistan&#39;s territory, an assertion that was dismissed by Afghan officials as propaganda.
13/13 Members of the Afghan special forces keep watch as comrades search houses during the nighttime mission in Kandahar. Taliban spokesmen claim the Islamic extremist group has taken control of 85 percent of Afghanistan's territory, an assertion that was dismissed by Afghan officials as propaganda.
Intense photos from Afghanistan capture the cat-and-mouse battles being fought between the Taliban and the country's elite special forces.
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The announcement comes as the Taliban presses on with its surge, saying its forces seized a strategic border crossing with Pakistan on July 14.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted a video purporting to show Taliban fighters on July 14 in the southeastern town of Spin Boldak along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

On the Pakistani side, residents of the border town of Chaman reported seeing the Taliban's signature white flag flying just across the boundary line and Taliban fighters in vehicles driving in the area.

The Afghan government denied the Taliban had seized the border crossing.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP
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