White House labels Kabul airlift a ‘success’ amid criticism over Afghanistan evacuations

The White House has defended the US evacuation programme from Kabul airport, with press secretary Jen Psaki hitting back at suggestions the emergency airlift from Afghanistan has been “anything but a success”.

“This is now on track to be the largest airlift in US history. That is bringing American citizens out, our Afghan partners out and it is bringing our allies out,” she told reporters during Tuesday’s briefing.

“I would not say it is ‘anything but a success’”.

Psaki’s response came in the hours before President Joe Biden was due to deliver remarks on the current situation in Afghanistan.