at diplomatic compound! 

The American flag at the US embassy in Kabul was taken down today, marking a final step in the evacuation of the diplomatic compound as the Biden administration rushed another 1,000 troops into Afghanistan to manage the sudden departure of embassy personnel and other staff days earlier than US officials initially projected.

The US scrambled to evacuate staff and top officials from its embassy in Afghanistan today as Taliban fighters entered the city, senior Afghan government officials fled the country and gunfire was heard at Kabul airport, multiple sources said.

As the situation deteriorated, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of 1,000 more US troops into Afghanistan, rerouting them from their initial destination in Kuwait, a defense official said. The new orders bring the total number of US troops expected in the country to 6,000.