The Pentagon released a photo of the last soldier to leave Afghanistan, whose departure marked the end of America’s longest war after 20 years of military involvement in the country.
The photo released by the Department of Defense shows foreman Chris Donahue, commander-in-chief of the 82nd Airborne Division, climbing into a U.S. Air Force C-17 on Monday.
The Pentagon said Donahue boarding the military plane marked the formal “end the US mission in Kabul.”
The last American soldier to leave Afghanistan: Major General Chris Donahue, Commander-in-Chief of Afghanistan @ 82ndABNDiv, @ 18airbornecorps boards an @usairforce C-17 on August 30, 2021, ending the US mission in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/j5fPx4iv6a
– Department of Defense (@DeptofDefense) August 30, 2021
The last C-17 left Kabul airport at 3:29 p.m., according to U.S. Central Command General Frank McKenzie.
The weather was a timid minute of Tuesday midnight in Afghanistan, which it was President BidenJoe BidenUS evacuates all Afghan embassy staff: Biden report visits FEMA headquarters as Ida points to New Orleans Romney: Afghanistan crisis is blamed on Biden and Trump administrations MOREdeadline to remove all American troops from the country.
“I am here to announce the end of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the evacuation mission of vulnerable U.S. citizens, third-country nationals and Afghans,” McKenzie told reporters in Washington on Monday.
“All members of the U.S. service are now out of Afghanistan,” he later added.
secretary of state Anthony BlinkAntony BlinkenBiden orders DHS to take the lead in resettling Afghan refugees. The top Chinese diplomat calls on the world to “positively guide” the U.S. Taliban; 97 more countries say they expect the Taliban to guarantee a “safe and orderly” trip out of Afghanistan MORE on Monday evening he said “less than 200 and probably more than 100” U.S. citizens are still in Afghanistan, but officials are still working to find out an exact number.
The last exit of the C-17 marked the end of America’s longest war. It also put an end to a disorderly and chaotic evacuation and withdrawal process that days ago caused the lives of 13 American service members who died after an explosion at the airport gate.
McKenzie said Monday that while “the military phase of this operation is over … now the diplomatic sequel will begin.”
“I think our State Department will work very hard to allow there to be American citizens left, and we believe that citizens who were not elected are low, very low. I think we will be able to get these people out. I think that we will also negotiate very hard, very aggressively to get the other Afghan partners out, ”McKenzie said.
“Weapons have just shifted, if you will, from the military to the diplomatic sphere,” he added.