Thread by @jseldin

NEW: #Afghanistan - "We are continuing air operations" per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor, calling it "a Herculean effort"

Says there will be +4,000 in #Kabul by the end of Tuesday

#Kabul airport "remains secure" for military flight ops and limited commercial flights, per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

Currently one flight per hour but ,"The speed of evacuation will pick up" he says

Photo of hundreds of #Afghans crowded into a C-17 "speaks to the humanity of our troops" per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

"We have had no hostile interactions, no attacks & no threat from the #Taliban" per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

Also says no new security incidents since Sunday

US aiming to have one flight per hour leaving #Kabul in the next 24 hours, per per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

#Afghanistan evacuation

NEW: "Our commanders at the airport are in communication w/#Taliban commanders on the ground outside the airport...there is communication between them & us" per @PentagonPresSec

"Multiple times a day"

#Afghanistan

"The mission runs through August 31st" per @PentagonPresSec "That's what we're focused on"

"Time is of the essence & we all share a sense of urgency here"

"There are interactions down at the local level" w/the #Taliban, per @PentagonPresSec

"The results are speaking for themselves"

Roughly 1400 people have been evacuated from #Kabul airport, per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

9 flights landed overnight, 7 left with abt 700 ppl, inclu 165 US citizens

"Our mission right now is the securing of the airfield"
per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor, not answering q's about reports that #Afghans, others have not been permitted to get to the airport

"We're going to maximize capacity to the degree that we can" per @PentagonPresSec on evacuations, saying that could = abt 5,000 - 9,000 ppl out per day

"I can't guarantee a certain number by a certain day" he adds, saying weather has been a factor Tuesday

"I know of no negotiations w/former #GuantanamoBay detainees" per @PentagonPresSec

#Afghanistan

No hostile interactions w/#Taliban "on either our ppl or our operations" per @PentagonPresSec

"We continue to process in American citizens that have shown up" at #Kabul airport, per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

"Those folks who were there on the southern part are no longer there, on the airfield" he says

No number of how many ppl in total are waiting for flights

"Commanders are the ground are continuing to communicate w/#ANDSF" per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

Abt 600 #Afghan troops are helping at the #Kabul airport

"We know we have an obligation to help these individuals & their families" @PentagonPresSec tells @VOANews abt #Afghan troops who worked w/the US, pointing to @StateDept process

"Sacred obligation we take very seriously. There is a process" he adds

"I don't have a firm number of additional casualties" at #Kabul airport, inclu incident with C-17, per @PentagonPresSec

"The Air Force is taking a look at this..."

Pentagon said 2 armed ppl were killed in clashes w/US troops Sunday-Monday

NEW: the 600-700 #Afghan security forces helping US at #Kabul airport could leave with US as part of the withdrawal

"It would be up to those Afghans to make that decision for themselves" per @PentagonPresSec

"The #Turks remain absolutely locked into the security mission" at #Kabul airport" per @USArmy MajGen Hank Taylor

#Turkey-#Afghanistan