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Police Respond to Claim of Bomb in Truck Near U.S. Capitol; Pentagon Gives Update on Withdrawal and Evacuations from Afghanistan. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired August 19, 2021 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[10:30:00]

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: We are following breaking news out of Washington, the nation's Capitol right now. Police are investigating a claim of an explosive device in a truck right near the library of Congress.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: They are taking this seriously. Congressional staffers have been asked to shelter in their offices.

CNN's Lauren Fox on Capitol Hill. We're also hearing, Lauren, that police are negotiating or sending negotiators to speak with the man in the truck making the threat. What is latest?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest that I'm hearing from sources that are on that side of Capitol Hill is that they are being asked in a few of these buildings near the library of Congress to evacuate.

An alert went out to the Cannon Office Building as well as the Jefferson Office Building and I want to read you a piece of that alert, basically telling individuals to go ahead and evacuate if they're in Cannon, saying that Cannon, due to a suspicious vehicle located in the unit block of First Street Southeast, occupants should remain calm and relocate to the Longworth House Office Building using tunnels, Eighth nearby to take enunciators on the way out, closed doors behind them but do not lock and proceed immediately to their designated assembly area. Obviously, this just showing the elevated risk up here on Capitol Hill with everyone really taking this seriously and really trying to instruct staff very clearly and pretty constantly, I should say. I have had staff that are in these rooms that are telling me that they are getting constant updates from Capitol Police, Jim.

SCIUTTO: We will stay on top of that. Lauren Fox, thank you so much.

We are going to take you live to the Pentagon now. The spokesman for the Pentagon, John Kirby, here about to brief an update on the evacuations from Afghanistan. Let's listen in.

JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: -- to talk to and then we'll take questions. General? MAJ. GEN. HANK TAYLOR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, JOINT STAFF REGIONAL OPERATIONS: Mr. Kirby, thank you.

Good morning, everybody. It is good to be here to continue to give you an operational update. As you know, we're getting into a rhythm here so I'll continue to try to focus on key operational highlights, our focus and our priorities.

We've been writing detailed through the past 24 hour snapshots and I'll provide those details with respect to a few areas today.

[10:35:00]

Further, I'm prepared to give a cumulative update on the total number of people evacuated from Afghanistan so far.

First, the U.S. military footprint in Kabul has now more than 5,200 total troops on the ground. Kabul airport remains secure and open for flight operations. There are now multiple gates that have access for entry into the airfield, which will help expedite processing in a safe and orderly manner.

In the past 24 hours, 13 C-17s arrived with additional troops and equipment. Also 12 C-17s departed. These flights contain more than 2,000 passengers. These flights left Kabul arrived at designated safe havens in the staging areas in the Cent Comm area of operation.

Since the start of operations on August 14th, we have airlifted proximately 7,000 total evacuees. This increase is reflective of both a ramp up of aircraft and airlift capability, faster processing of evacuees and greater information and fidelity in reporting.

If we go back to when the Department of Defense began supporting the State Department with movement of SIVs at the end of July, the cumulative number of people moved out of Afghanistan is somewhere near 12,000. That number includes American citizens, U.S. embassy personnel, individuals designated by the state department as SIV applicants and other evacuees in coordination with the State Department.

We're ready to increase throughput and have scheduled aircraft departures accordingly. We intend to maximize each plane's capacity. We're prioritizing people above all else. And we're focused on doing this as safely as possible with absolute urgency.

We have not experienced any security incidents nor interference since my last update. We continue to recognize the inherent danger of operating in this environment but our service members in Kabul remain agile, professional and are postured to continue mission and to respond if required.

On this topic, as we look at the last 24 hours, F-18s from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group flew armed over-watch flights over Kabul to ensure enhanced security. We maintain a watchful eye and are continuously conducting in-depth assessments to protect the safety of Americans. We will use all of the tools in our arsenal to achieve this goal.

I want to reinforce that we are absolutely focused on this mission of national importance. We are committed to the safe evacuation of as many people as quickly and as safely as possible.

In Haiti yesterday, eight United States Army helicopters, three CH-47 Chinooks and five UH-60 Blackhawks from South Comm's JTF Bravo out of Honduras repositioned to launch and support operations in support of Haiti earthquake operations. Those assets have already started moving, disaster relief personnel and supplies and supported JTF Haiti's assessment of airfields and roads throughout the area.

A CH-47 completed a partial move of about 60 percent of a field hospital, which we believe the rest of the field hospital will be airlifted today. The U.S. Coast Guard continues its life-saving missions and, again, all of the helicopters are on airlift missions to ease the suffering and to get people and capabilities where they need to be. As you know, the USS Arlington is now under way and expected to arrive later in week to provide additional lift and medical capabilities and serve as another resource for the people of Haiti.

Finally special tactics airmen assigned special operations wing are currently augmenting the life-saving and humanitarian aid efforts in Haiti and are responsible for conducting various airfield surveys to determine suitability for bringing in follow-on humanitarian aid via airlift.

Thank you very much.

KIRBY: I just a couple of schedule items to go over.

[10:40:00]

So, here in Washington, Secretary Austin did have a phone conversation this morning with his counterpart in Bahrain, his royal highness, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander and Prime Minister. And this afternoon, the secretary will be welcoming his Excellency, Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister State of Defense Affairs for the state of Qatar here in the building. We'll issue a read-out for each of those events later today.

And with that we'll start taking questions. I think, Bob, you're on the phone, yes?

REPORTER: Yes, thank you, John. General Taylor said that there 12 C- 17 aircraft departed with evacuees over the last 24 hours, which is a smaller number than the previous 24 hours, I believe. My question is regarding with the clock running down toward August 31st, does Secretary Austin believe that it will be necessary to extend the deadline? I know that it is not his call. But has he recommended that the deadline of August 31st be extended?

KIRBY: Bob, you heard the secretary yesterday say that we're very focused on making sure we get as many people out as possible and as fast as possible. And we're working on that very diligently, as you heard the general's update. And you also heard the president say that if he believes that there is a need to alter the timeline that he would revisit that at the appropriate time.

What we're focused on right now, Bob, is head down, shoulder to the wheel, trying to get as many people out as possible, as quickly as possible and I think I'll leave it at that.

Tara?

REPORTER: Thank you. A follow-up on Bob's question, since the president has left the door open to troops possibly staying past August 31st, has Admiral Vasely begun conversations with his Taliban counterpart to make sure that if troops stay, they will not come under attack?

KIRBY: I don't know that level of detail, what conversations Admiral Vasely is having with his counterpart out in town. Again, our focus right now, there has been no decision to change the deadline. And we are focused on doing everything we can inside of that deadline to move as many people out as possible. And if and when there is a decision to change that, then, obviously, that would require additional conversations with the Taliban as well. But I don't believe that those conversations have happened at this point.

REPORTER: And as a follow-up on the low pass flights by the F-18s, do they have authorization to fire if U.S. troops or allies come under attack?

KIRBY: These are not low pass flights, Tara. They're at altitude. As the general briefed, they're over-watch. And in this case, the general believed F-18 flights but there are other aircraft that General McKenzie and Admiral Vasely have at their disposal to provide this kind of over-watch. So, they are not low passes.

And I would only -- to your second question, I would simply say, as always, we have the right to defend ourselves, our people and our operations.

REPORTER: How many F-18s are there? And I guess was there a specific reason or see something that led to you move them or was it just, well, we have them, so why not?

TAYLOR: Yes, good question. Just going back, these were not low passes. These are providing air support and this is isn't anything new. As we know, the Ronald Reagan has been there providing support. So, these F-18s are flying more than just yesterday. These were continuously in support and part of the assets that I briefed early on that were always available to the Cent Comm commander.

REPORTER: So, they've been playing over-watch since?

TAYLOR: Always.

REPORTER: But you've mentioned them today because --

TAYLOR: Just to give an update of specifically the type of capability that the commanders on the ground continue to have to do -- just as Mr. Kirby, to ensure that we can provide that self-defense and assets to the commander.

KIRBY: Also there had been some reporting out there that there were low passes and that there was some sort of shows of force and I think we felt it was important for the general to provide some context about what is happening in the air and why. And that is why we mentioned it today. I don't think you're going to get a daily update from us about every aircraft and every flight plan but we felt that given the context of some of the erroneous reporting out there yesterday that we wanted to clear that up.

Jen?

REPORTER: John, are you receiving credible threats against U.S. forces at the airport that if you don't leave by a certain date, that Al Qaeda or other groups will begin attacking the airport?

[10:45:06]

KIRBY: I won't speak to intelligence assessments one way or the other, Jen. Obviously, force protection is a high priority. You heard that in the general's opening comments as well. We're always evaluating the threat. It is not only a day-by-day thing, it's an hour-by-hour thing. We know that this is still a perilous environment and all I can tell you is that we're going to do everything that we can to make sure that we can protect our force, protect the people that we're trying to move on to the airport and protect their movement out of Kabul, as well as protect the entire operation at the Air Force. You heard the secretary talk about the need to be able defend the airport so it is something we're looking at literally hour-by- hour.

REPORTER: And, General Taylor, British paratroopers are leaving the airport going into Kabul to rescue and evacuate some of their citizens who are trapped, can't get to the airport because of the Taliban. Why isn't the U.S. doing that?

TAYLOR: At this time, as I said, our main mission continues to be to secure HKIA, to allow those American citizens and other SIVs to come and be processed at the airfield.

REPORTER: And just to follow-up, how are you fueling your planes, the C-17s that are going out? Are you now in a position that you have to buy fuel from the Taliban?

TAYLOR: The assets on HKIA, on the airfield, are what we need to maintain the operations, all operations, to support the mission.

REPORTER: So that is a no, you're not buying fuel from the Taliban?

KIRBY: There is -- there is plenty of fuel sustainment capability at Hamid Karzia Airport. And as you know, Jen, we also have the ability on our own, our logistics ability to fuel our aircraft as needed.

Courtney? REPORTER: I'm still a little unclear about the F-18s and why do you have armed F-18s. Can you explain a little bit more about what over- watch means, what exactly is it they are doing or providing?

KIRBY: Sure. I'll let the general talk to that, but sure.

TAYLOR: The ability to provide close air support is something that needs to be immediate if a condition on the ground ever required that. So, as prudent military operations, we ensure there are always assets available so that the commander, if required, can ensure the time and space of reaction is as little as possible. So --

REPORTER: Are they there to prepare if you need to do airstrikes over Kabul, in Kabul?

TAYLOR: They're there to ensure that they can support the commander on the ground.

REPORTER: And then also you mentioned that there have been about 7,000 people taken out since the 14th. And you're hoping to increase that -- or, I'm sorry, 12,000 total out since the end of July. How many more do you anticipate having to move?

TAYLOR: So, as I said, the military capacity continues to be 5,000 to 9,000 a day and we're ready to do that. And as Mr. Kirby said, our increased interactions with Department of State will allow that to -- as you see the ability to increase more flights a day.

REPORTER: And, Kirby, could I ask you just one quick one. Is there any update to any efforts or talks with the Taliban about allowing Afghans to get through some of these checkpoints and get to the airport safely?

KIRBY: There is no update, Court. I think you heard the secretary talk about this yesterday. We're in communication, obviously, with the local Taliban commander about making sure that those at-risk Afghans, special visa applicants and additional Afghan citizens that we want to move through are able to move through. And it comes down a lot to the credentialing and making sure that they can prove and we can prove that these are appropriate people to move through. And we have indications this morning that that process is working.

Yes, Barbara.

BARBARA STRARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: I'm still confused about the F-18s as well. First of all, this is the first time I recall you telling us of over-watch flights since U.S. troops arrived. So, are these the first armed flights over Kabul since U.S. troops arrived?

KIRBY: No. No, and, Barb, what you have to remember is before we began noncombatant evacuation operation, we had been in the midst of drawing down our forces.

STARR: But I'm asking -- I'm sorry I'm asking specifically since operations with U.S. forces began at the airport.

KIRBY: Since the noncombatant evacuation.

[10:50:01]

STARR: Since it began at the airport, are these the first armed over- watch over Kabul?

KIRBY: They are not.

STARR: And you say close air support. But to be clear, what you are saying is you are prepared now to conduct airstrikes over Kabul?

KIRBY: Barbara, I'm not going to talk about potential future operations, so I do think it is important to level set here, that even throughout the drawdown, we had over-watch capabilities. Throughout the drawdown, we had over-watch capabilities. So, the fact that we're flying over watch now and have been since the 14th, we were actually doing it before the 14th, as you would think we would.

And to my previous answer, force protection is a high priority. And we're going to have it at our disposal all of the assets and resources necessary to make sure that we can accomplish this mission safely and efficiently, just like we were accomplishing the previous mission of drawdown safely and efficiently.

So, this is a continuum. It is not something that is new. The reason we decided to talk about it today, and I don't think you're going to expect to see us talk about it every day, but we felt it was important today given that there had been some reporting out there that we were flying low passes over the city or some kind of shows of force. That is not what this is. This is just an added layer of force protection. It's the prudent and responsibility thing to do.

STARR: Can I just follow-up on another? On your decision discussions with the Taliban, now that the potential is in public for staying (ph), does the U.S. military, does the Defense Department feel it would at least need Taliban acquiescence if you were to stay beyond the 15th? Do you want, if not their agreement, at least their acquiescence to stay?

KIRBY: I think it is just a fundamental fact of the reality of where we are that communications and a certain measure of agreement with the Taliban on what we're trying to accomplish has to continue to occur. And, again, I'm not going to speculate past August 31st. I haven't gotten to anybody on the phone, so if you'll just forgive me?

Carla Babb?

REPORTER: Hey, thanks for doing this, John. Can you just briefly kind of update us on the policy of nationals who are trying to get into the airport for evacuations by other countries and I've mentioned what the Brits were doing, but we also heard from Sylvie about that Dutch plane that left without any Afghan nationals. How exactly is that process being done and how are the U.S. troops helping with that process?

And then one other question quickly, if I may, there has been reports of resistance outside in Panjshir and possibly in Parwan. Is the U.S. doing anything to support these Afghan troops that are trying to make a resistance and trying push back?

KIRBY: Carla, on your first question, we obviously are -- and you heard the secretary talk about this yesterday -- willing to support the movement -- safe movement of citizens of our allies and partners. In fact, we have already done that. And some of the numbers that the general briefed that got out of the country were obviously citizens of other countries, allies and partners. So we are doing that. And we'll continue to do that.

As for the exact process, I'm afraid I'm not qualified to speak to that. That's really a better question put to our State Department colleagues in terms of how it works from a process perspective. We are in full support of that. But, again, our main mission at the airport is security, safe operation of the airfield and continuing to get people out.

On your second question, we've seen reports, the same as you, of potential pockets of resistance. But I would just again stress that our military mission in Afghanistan right now is to conduct this noncombatant evacuation in a safe and orderly way and that is what we're doing.

Yes.

REPORTER: Thank you, John. So, you mentioned the phone call between the secretary today and his Bahraini counterpart that he's going to meet the Qatari defense minister later today. Can you talk about the role these nations, gulf nations, in general, are playing in facilitating this operation and are they putting assets in this operation to evacuate some of the Afghanis or U.S. citizens?

KIRBY: I think that those nation states speak for themselves in what they're doing. And as I said, we'll have a read-out of both conversations later today. So I don't want to get ahead of that. But, obviously, both countries are key partners in the region. As you know, Bahrain hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters and is a key partner and maritime partner particularly in the gulf region and Qatar as well in many different ways.

[10:55:05]

And we're always, always interested in having good conversations with these key partners in the region but I don't think I'm going to speak to specifics with respect to Afghanistan. I'll let those nation states speak for themselves.

REPORTER: Thank you so much, Mr. Kirby, Kelly Meyer with Nexstar Media Group. A question, is there any behavior by the Taliban towards U.S. citizens or Afghans trying to reach the airport? That would mean U.S. troops would have to protect them. Have any red lines been communicated to the Taliban?

KIRBY: We've made it very clear to the Taliban that any attack upon our people and our operations at the airport will be met with a forceful response. There has been -- as the general noted in his opening statement, there has been no hostile interactions between the Taliban and our forces or of American citizens getting through.

Now, we have seen reports of the Taliban harassing, and physically so, some Afghans that were trying to move to the airport. We are in constant communication with them, as my answer to Courtney indicated, to make sure that the -- that they have the same visibility on the people that we want to see get through as we do. And some of that has to do with a common site picture on the credentialing. And so those conversations continue.

REPORTER: And what about Americans outside of the airport?

KIRBY: No, I said, we haven't seen any -- any hostile interactions between the Taliban and our people and we certainly haven't seen them impede or harass or obstruct the movement of American citizens from the environs into the airport. And, obviously, we want to see that continue.

Yes, Tom?

REPORTER: Two things. General Taylor, could you discuss the non- American flights going in and out of the airport, how many, how many people have been evacuated and what countries are still seeking to take people out? And I have a follow-up on the Taliban.

KIRBY: Okay. I'll let the general take this.

TAYLOR: So what I will say is that when we talk about all flights going in and out of Kabul airport are being synchronized and work through Cent Comm, so that coordination is being done. And so when I talk, as the numbers, we are starting to include those numbers of everybody that is leaving from other countries. I don't have the details right now of which countries left within the last 24. But all of those type of flights, anything coming in and out of Kabul airport is being coordinate through the controlling piece there with the Cent Comm.

REPORTER: And can we get any details of who and later? And then I have say follow-up on the Taliban. So, is there anything the Taliban is -- in this cooperation, is there anything they aren't doing, is there anything the U.S. is not happy with in terms of how they are involved in the airport operations? And have they asked or demanded access to the airport?

KIRBY: I know of no requests or interest by Taliban commanders to access the airport now. It is our understanding that they understand why we're there and what we're doing. And, again, as the secretary said, we've been able to have that kind of communication with them.

I won't detail every conversation that we're having with the Taliban. Again, I think it is important to let the results speak for themselves. And as you and I are talking here today, we have an understanding and they are helping to facilitate safe passage for those that were trying to get into the airport. I think I just leave it at that.

Let me go back to the phones again. Paul Shinkman, USNews. REPORTER: Hi, John. Has U.S. confidence and the ability to carry out counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan now or in the future changed at all since the fall of Kabul, particularly given the apparent coordination between the Taliban and Pakistan, whose air space, presumably, the U.S. needs to access?

KIRBY: No. The short answer to your question, Paul, is no. We still remain robust over the horizon counterterrorism capability in the region and we will still have the authority and capability to use that counterterrorism capability, should we need it.

Megan?

REPORTER: I just want to verify that the evacuation capacity has reached the 5,000 to 9,000 goal, and I wanted to ask whether the limiting factor is the State Department's ability to process or the ability of people to physically get inside of the airport, as we understand they're lined up outside.

TAYLOR: So, let's talk first about the movement, the air capacity. It is set.

[11:00:00]

And as I briefed a couple of times before, so that ability to air move up to 5,000 to 9,000 a day has been set and continues.