Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the top military officer in charge of Afghanistan, flew to Kabul on Tuesday, where, he said, commercial flights had resumed after they were paused to secure the field. A White House official said U.S. military flights evacuated about 1,100 people on Tuesday, bringing the total so far to more than 3,200. American pilots and troops were forced to make on-the-spot decisions during the panic at the airport on Sunday and Monday. The pilots, determining that the immense aircraft could handle the load, decided to take off, officials said. Early Monday morning, the gray Air Force plane — call sign REACH885 — descended onto the runway.

Source: New York Times August 17, 2021 22:13 UTC