1,000 more American troops to be deployed to Afghanistan to help orderly drawdown amid crisis

Washington: President Joe Biden has rushed an additional 1,000 US soldiers to Afghanistan for an "orderly and safe draw down"of American and allied personnel, as the Taliban insurgents moved closer to retaking full control of the war-torn country.

Biden's authorisation of 5,000 troops in his statement on Saturday included 1,000 who are already on the ground in Afghanistan, accordingto a defence official. A battalion of 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division were redirected to Kabul, instead of their original  stand by position in Kuwait.

The Pentagon had previously announced 3,000 additional troops were on their way, the defence official said.

Biden announced the fresh deployment after he and Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday held a secure video conference with the national



security team to discuss the ongoing efforts to draw downAmerican civilian footprint in Afghanistan and monitor the evolving security situation.

 "Based on the recommendations of our diplomatic, military, and intelligence teams, I have authorised the deployment of approximately 5,000 UStroops to make sure we can have an orderly and safe drawdown of US personnel and other allied personnel and an orderly and safe evacuation of Afghans who helped our troops during our mission and those atspecial risk from the Taliban advance," Biden said in a statement.

Biden's statement came hours before the Taliban on Sunday seized the last major city outside of Kabul held by the country's central government, cutting off the capital to the east.