But he asserted that the airlift was a historic accomplishment that removed 124,000 people from Taliban rule. They are demanding more details on the suicide bombing in Kabul that killed 13 American service members in the final days of the withdrawal. Gen. Frank McKenzie, who as head of Central Command oversaw the withdrawal, testified alongside Austin and Milley. Both Milley and Austin have defended the US military’s execution of an Afghanistan withdrawal that Biden ordered in April. The Pentagon has defended its execution of an airlift from Kabul airport that transported more than 120,000 people, while acknowledging that it got off to a chaotic start and was under near-constant threat of terrorist attack.
