WASHINGTON - About 12,500 people were evacuated from Afghanistan on Thursday, raising the total evacuees amid the Taliban takeover of Kabul to roughly 105,000 since Aug. 14, the White House said on Friday.
Renewed evacuation efforts ramped a day before the militant group entered the Afghan capital on Aug. 15. Since the end of July, about 110,600 have been evacuated, the White House said.
Evacuations have resumed after two blasts killed scores of people, including 13 U.S. soldiers, outside the gates of Kabul airport Thursday evening, with troops on alert for more possible attacks.
About 5,000 of the 12,500 individuals evacuated on Thursday were air-lifted out that night, according to the White House tallies.
U.S. military forces, who have guarded the airport in Kabul, are due to withdraw by the Aug. 31 deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden, leaving a vacuum.