US says about 1,500 citizens remain in Afghanistan

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said about 1,500 Americans remain in Afghanistan and are waiting to be evacuated. 

The Biden administration has been engaged in a furious effort to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies before Aug. 31, the deadline set for a complete exit from the country. 

Blinken said the U.S. has evacuated 82,300 people, including 4,500 people with U.S. passports, since Aug. 14, the day before the Taliban took Kabul and completed its takeover of Afghanistan.