The Defense Department is pushing in 650 troops from the Army’s Ranger Regiment to cover the Afghanistan withdrawal. The Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment already has some troops in the country as part of the ongoing Joint Special Operations deployment.

CNN was the first to report that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the move last week. 

Furthermore, as part of the force protection, Austin approved the deployment of two B-52 bombers. They will join two more that are already deployed to Qatar as well as an AC-130 USAF Special Operations gunship. Austin also approved the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s deployment extension.

President Biden has announced that all U.S. troops will have withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11.