Canadian Military Drawdown Will Begin Before Aug. 31 American Deadline: Sajjan

In this image provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, families begin to board a U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 23, 2021. Sgt. Samuel Ruiz/U.S. Marine Corps via AP

OTTAWA—The Canadian military will begin wrapping up its mission at Kabul airport ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline the United States set for ending the mission, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said Wednesday.

Sajjan said that’s because the United States is leading the mission and providing security and so its forces, some 6,000 personnel, must be the last to leave the airport. That means Canada’s special forces and aircrews must begin departure preparations in advance.