60 Planeloads of U.S. Military Equipment Leave Afghanistan as Drawdown Begins

U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo jets, which the service said can carry about 17,900 pounds of cargo, are running near around-the-clock missions to move military equipment out of Afghanistan in the Pentagon’s largest drawdown effort since it left Iraq in 2011, officials said. The CENTCOM statement on Tuesday indicated officials intended to provide regular updates on retrograde progress but would give only an estimated range of the completion for security reasons. CENTCOM also said it had turned over one base to the Afghan National Army — Camp New Antonik in southern Helmand province.