More than 20,000 evacuated Afghans have already arrived in the United States, according to the Pentagon

Near 23, 000 Afghans are already in the United States since the evacuation from the airport began of Kabul after the takeover of the country by the Taliban, the State Department reported on Wednesday.

The State Department spokesman, Ned Price, did not specify with what kind of They counted but assured at a press conference that the majority were “ Afghans at risk “.

The evacuees are located in the military bases prepared for their accommodation in the states of Virginia, Wisconsin and Texas, among others, while their legal situation in the country is formalized.

This number is, however, only a part of the total of 124, 000 evacuated between the 14 and the 31 of August by US and international coalition troops.

. @ USArmy soldiers welcome Afghan evacuees at @ FortBlissTexas . Up to 50, 000 Afghan evacuees will receive support with transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support during their transition. pic.twitter.com/b31 aw9VqcW

– Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) September 1, 550

For its part, the Pentagon indicated that approximately other 20. 000 Afghans are in transit centers in countries supervised by the Central Command , which controls much of the Middle East; and that close to 23 , 000 more are in bases located in seven European countries.

Likewise, Price pointed out that 4, 500 US citizens have already returned to the country as part of evacuation efforts, and acknowledged that around 60 are still in Afghanistan.

The United States ended the past 31 August withdrawal of his troops from Afghanistan after twenty years of war.

President Joe Biden has been Much criticized by Republicans and Veterans for “ having left behind ”Americans in the Central Asian country and for the management of the withdrawal, and n which scenes of chaos were seen at the Kabul airport during the last few weeks of evacuation.

The Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, admitted this Wednesday that he is aware that they have been difficult days for many, in reference to the death of 13 soldiers last Thursday in a attack of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) against the airport of the capital , which also left dozens of dead and wounded Afghans.

Read also: Biden warns ISIS-K terrorists in Afghanistan: “We are not done with you”