25,000 Afghan Refugees Expected In Coming Weeks: Dept. Of Defense

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States could get about 25,000 Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban in the coming weeks, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Monday in his announcement that the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey is the fourth U.S. military base ready to house the refugees.

Army Maj. Gen. William D. "Hank" Taylor said Fort McCoy, Wisconsin; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Fort Lee, Virginia, were already prepped to house the refugees before Monday. An unknown number of refugees arrived at Fort McCoy and Fort Lee on Sunday, the Department of Defense said earlier.

Afghan evacuees are screened at safe havens across Europe and the Middle East, according to the Department of Defense. But the focus for the U.S. remains getting Americans and eligible Afghan refugees out of Kabul, Taylor said.

In a 24-hour period ending Monday morning, 25 U.S. military C-17 aircrafts, three U.S. military C-130 aircrafts and a combination of 61 charter commercial and other military flights departed for Kabul, the Afghanistan capital seized by the Taliban in recent days amid the U.S. drawdown of forces.

About 11,000 military personnel were transported among the 16,000 passengers on the flights.

"Our mission remains focused on ensuring a steady flow of evacuees out of Kabul," Taylor said.