Joe Biden begins withdrawing troops from Afghanistan before August 31 deadline amid Taliban takeover

Joe Biden says the US is "on pace" to have the country's troops leave Afghanistan by August 31 despite calls to extend next week's evacuation deadline.

According to CNBC, Biden had been under pressure from foreign allies and US lawmakers to extend the deadline but warned that staying any longer could pose a risk of terrorist attacks and conflict with the Taliban.

The decision comes after the Taliban said there would be "consequences" if Biden delayed the withdrawal of US troops, per Sky News.

As part of a televised address at the White House on Tuesday, August 24, Biden said, per the Daily Mail: "We are currently on pace to finish by August the 31st. The sooner we finish, the better. Each day of operations brings added risk to our troops."

The 78-year-old leader did, however, point out that the US is making contingency plans in case it becomes "necessary" for troops to stay past the deadline.

Per CNBC, he said during the address - his third such address since the Taliban took over Afghanistan: "In addition, I’ve asked the Pentagon and the State Department for contingency plans to adjust the timetable should that become necessary."

In terms of terror risks, a major reason for the president's unwillingness to extend the deadline, Biden said he had concerns that ISIS-K could attack Hamid Karzai International Airport.

He said: "Every day we’re on the ground is another day we know that ISIS-K is seeking to target the airport and attack both US and allied forces and innocent civilians."

Credit: Newscom / Alamy

The US has evacuated around 70,700 people in Afghanistan since August 14, according to statistics released by the White House.

Biden explained, per Deadline: "Anyone arriving in the United States will have undergone a background check, and we must all work together to settle thousands of Afghans who ultimately qualify for refugee status.

"The United States will do our part and we are already working closely with refugee organizations to rebuild the system that was purposefully destroyed by my predecessor."

He added: "We’re conducting thorough security screenings in the intermediary stops they’re making for anyone who not a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States."

Featured image credit: Newscom / Alamy