Pentagon Says Bulk of 3,000 Troops to Arrive in Afghanistan This Weekend

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The bulk of the 3,000 US troops will arrive in Kabul by the end of the weekend to support the withdrawal operation while some elements of one of the marine infantry battalions are already there, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday.

"Some elements of one of the Marine infantry battalions are already there in Kabul," Kirby said at a press briefing. "The rest of their forces will continue to flow over the next couple of days and I expect that by the end of the weekend the bulk of the three thousand, that we talked about yesterday, will be in place."

Kirby also said that the US intends to evacuate thousands of civilians out of Afghanistan each day.

"We will be able to move thousands per day [out of Afghanistan]... our intention is to be able to move thousands per day," Kirby said during a press briefing.

The Pentagon spokesperson also shared his forecast concerning the future of Kabul amid continuing Taliban offensive.

"They are trying to isolate Kabul, isolating provincial capitals... from their actions, [we can say that] they [Taliban] are trying to get Kabul isolated," Kirby said.