The US has completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan after the last of its planes took off from Kabul airport.
Afghanistan: Dominic Raab says UK stands with allies to hunt down Islamic State 'wherever they operate' as diplomatic discussions continue
However, the general acknowledged that while the"vast majority" of Americans who wanted to leave were able to, not everyone got out and that diplomatic means would now be used to extract these people. General McKenzie also told reporters that the threat from the ISIS-K group in Kabul was"very real" and warned an estimated 2,000"hardcore" ISIS fighters were still in Afghanistan.
The group, a regional affiliate of the Islamic State terror group, was behind last week's suicide attack at Kabul airport that killed 13 US service members, three Britons and scores of Afghans.The Taliban established a"firm perimeter" as the final flight left, said General McKenzie, and were"helpful and useful" as the US drew a line under two weeks of frantic airlifts.
Despite assurances, there are fears the group will reimpose their hardline and violent form of Sharia law that previously saw women's rights reduced to practically zero.
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