The United States lowered the flag on its embassy in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and has relocated staff to the airport, where US forces are taking over air traffic control, officials said Sunday night, according to AFP.
"We are completing a series of steps to secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport to enable the safe departure of US and allied personnel from Afghanistan via civilian and military flights," the Pentagon and State Department said in a joint statement quoted by the news agency.
"The American flag has been lowered from the US embassy compound and is now securely located with embassy staff," a spokesperson added.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said later that the "safe evacuation" of US embassy personnel is complete.
"All Embassy personnel are located on the premises of Hamid Karzai International Airport, whose perimeter is secured by the US Military,” he added.
On Sunday, the Taliban insurgents entered Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani left the country, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed.
The United States has sent 6,000 troops to the airport to fly out embassy personnel as well as Afghans who assisted the United States as interpreters or in other support roles and now fear retribution.
Their mission will be "focused solely on facilitating these efforts and will be taking over air traffic control," Sunday’s joint statement said.
The spokesman for the Taliban's political office on Sunday declared the war in Afghanistan as over and added that the type of rule and the form of regime in Afghanistan will be clear soon.