More than 123,000 people were evacuated from Kabul in the US-led airlift after the Taliban seized the city in mid-August, but tens of thousands of Afghans at risk remained behind
"They are not in charge of any of the gates, are not in charge any of the airport operations. That is still under US military control," said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby
There are about 5,400 troops at the airport, a number that President Joe Biden says is set to go down to zero by the end of the month, depending on cooperation from the Taliban
The Pentagon said this month it would seek President Joe Biden's approval by mid-September to require 1.3 million military members to get vaccinated against COVID-19
The first Marines have arrived at Kabul's international airport as part of a mission ordered a day earlier by President Joe Biden as the Taliban makes sweeping gains following his withdrawal of US troops.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said the head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan still had that authority, even as the U.S. closes in on a military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Fighting between Afghan government forces and the Taliban on Saturday and Sunday in several provinces, including Kandahar, left more than 100 insurgents dead, according to the Afghan defense ministry.