9,000 Americans remain stranded in Afghanistan, according to a new Senate report



A little over half a year ago, President Biden withdrew American forces from Afghanistan. The American withdrawal resulted in complete and utter embarrassment for the United States abroad as we abandoned our allies in Afghanistan, caused the unnecessary loss of life, and stranded American citizens in a country now controlled by our enemies.

At the time, officials in the Biden administration told the public that just over 100 American citizens were left in Afghanistan. In October of 2021, the State Department said that there were 363 Americans stranded under the Taliban. Now, according to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, it appears that the United States government left as many as 9,000 Americans in Afghanistan following America’s August withdrawal.

Despite having information that large groups of Americans continued to leave Afghanistan — without support from the federal government — the Biden administration maintained that only 100-150 Americans remained in Afghanistan who had contacted the United States government and expressed a desire to leave.

The report detailing the updated number of stranded Americans indicates that as late as August 17 — nine days before the Kabul airport bombing that claimed the lives of the 13 service members — the State Department knew that there were between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan. Between August 17 and August 31, only about 6,000 Americans were able to escape before the Taliban fully took control of the country.

Officials like Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and U.S. Central Command leader General Kenneth McKenzie frequently said they were in touch with small numbers of Americans who remained in Afghanistan but sought to leave. Thus, if arrived at in good faith, their estimation would have been calculated using these small sample sizes.

In the report, Sen. James Risch (R – Idaho), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, “Despite countless warnings that the Taliban had the ability to take the country swiftly, the Biden Administration failed to properly plan a coordinated evacuation of U.S. citizens, Afghans, and allied partners.”

“The administration waited until less than a day before Kabul fell to make senior leadership decisions on organizing and executing a withdrawal, which proved to be too little too late,” Sen. Risch continued, “While the Department of Defense and Department of State pulled off a major feat in the number of people evacuated, more of our partners could have been saved if proper planning had been conducted.”

Shortly after the American withdrawal was complete, President Biden made a speech where among other misleading claims, he said, “The bottom line: 90% of Americans who wanted to leave were able to leave.”

It just so happens that there are thousands of Americans who were unable to leave, unaccounted for in the remaining 10%. As more information comes to light, it becomes increasingly evident that the Biden administration was not prepared to withdraw from Afghanistan.

The White House rushing the withdrawal process cost many lives and stranded thousands of Americans under enemy rule.

State Department reveals there are 363 Americans still in Afghanistan, far more than Biden administration's previous estimates: Report



The U.S. State Department admitted that there are far more American citizens still in Afghanistan than prior estimates that President Joe Biden and his administration offered, according to a report.

The State Department informed congressional staff that it is in contact with 363 U.S. citizens in Afghanistan, 176 of whom wish to leave the Taliban-controlled country, CNN reported on Friday.

Officials reportedly said that they had evacuated 218 American citizens and 131 legal permanent residents out of Afghanistan since Aug. 31 — the deadline to have all U.S. military forces out of the country.

CNN reporters were perplexed by the high number of Americans evacuated since the withdrawal deadline and citizens who were still in Afghanistan since the Biden administration had repeatedly said the number of U.S. citizens in the country is fewer.

CNN White House correspondent Phil Mattingly pointed out that the latest information of Americans in Afghanistan is "significantly higher than the estimates of roughly 100 in Aug. which admin officials regularly cited."

Jennifer Hansler, a CNN reporter who covers the State Department for the network, noted, "176 people combined with evacuation figures since August 31 present a far higher count of Americans looking to leave Afghanistan than admin publicly estimated when US withdrew. State spox says more people have come forward amid ongoing evacuation efforts."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Aug. 30, "We believe there are still a small number of Americans – under 200 and likely closer to 100 – who remain in Afghanistan and want to leave. We're trying to determine exactly how many."

On Aug. 31, President Biden stated, "Now we believe that about 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan with some intention to leave."

Biden previously vowed to not strand any Americans in Afghanistan. He told ABC News on Aug. 18, "If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out."

During a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Sept. 13, Blinken reiterated that about 100 U.S. citizens were in Afghanistan.

"As of the end of last week, we had about 100 American citizens in Afghanistan who told us they want to leave the country," Blinken said.

On Sept. 27, a senior State Department official reportedly said there were about 100 U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who are ready to leave Kabul.

As recently as Monday, the State Department was still using the estimate of 100 to 200 Americans still in Afghanistan.

"That range has been anywhere from below a 100 – right now it is somewhere in between 100 and 200 given that some Americans have – additional Americans have raised their hands, seeing our ability to effect their safe departure," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, adding that the estimate "is not static" and "is not immutable precisely" because some citizens could come forward for the first time.

Last month, a permanent U.S. resident and former combat interpreter who worked with the U.S. military revealed that "there are a lot of people still left behind" in Afghanistan.

"The Biden administration left without any plan, and that is why there are thousands of allies who worked for the U.S. military, American citizens, Afghan Americans, all stuck here," he said.

VIDEO: Chuck Schumer falsely claims all Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan have already left



Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) falsely claimed that all Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan have already left the Taliban-controlled nation.

Schumer made the claims while he spoke to a WSYR-TV reporter at the New York State Fair on Tuesday.

"At the moment actually, I'm still focused on trying to get some of those brave Afghans out," said Schumer.

"The Americans, all of whom wanted to come out, have come out, praise God," he claimed.

"But there are a lot of Afghans who have risked their lives for our soldiers and others," he continued. "Many got out, some didn't, and I'm still working on trying to get some of them out."

Schumer's claim directly contradicts the State Department who has said that they estimated between 100 and 200 Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan are still in the country.

A spokesperson for Schumer told Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post that he had misspoke.

"He misspoke and regrets the confusion his comments have caused," said the spokesperson.

"He intended to say, as he has been saying, that the U.S. will get everyone out that wants to get out," they added. "And he will keep working with the Biden Administration to help everyone who wants to get out."

More than a hundred Americans are reportedly waiting at an airport in Mazar-i-Sharif while the State Department negotiates their release with the Taliban. Several planes chartered through the efforts of a charity organized by BlazeTV founder Glenn Beck are awaiting the outcome of negotiations to fly those Americans and other Afghans out of the nation.

Only four Americans, a mother and her three children, have been confirmed to have used the overland route to escape Afghanistan. On Monday, one of the organizers of that mission accused the State Department of trying to take the credit for the rescue that rightfully belongs to

Here's the video of Schumer making the false claim:

State Fair hosts Senator Chuck Schumer www.youtube.com

The Taliban is holding hostage six planes chartered by Glenn Beck charity to rescue Americans left behind by Biden admin



Six planes on a mission to rescue more than a hundred Americans wanting to leave Afghanistan were grounded by the Taliban as negotiations continued with the State Department Monday.

The evacuation effort was a part of a mission chartered by Mercury One, the charity founded by conservative media personality and TheBlaze founder Glenn Beck.

Newsweek confirmed the details through an NGO working on the evacuation.

According to the report, at least 1,000 people were waiting to board the planes at an airport in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

"The planes are currently empty and its passengers are still waiting in their safe houses for clearance for takeoff from the Taliban," said one NGO official to Newsweek. "I have more than 1,000 people on the master manifest that want to fly, of which 123 are Americans and the rest are Special Immigration Visas."

Earlier on Sunday the State Department sent an email to members of Congress to alert them about the negotiations with the Taliban. The email reportedly said that the planes had permission to land in Doha, Qatar, but only after the Taliban allowed them to leave.

"The Taliban is basically holding them hostage to get more out of the Americans," said a congressional source to CBS News.

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said Sunday on Fox News that the Taliban had the Americans in a hostage situation.

"In fact we have six airplanes at Mazar-i-Sharif airport, six airplanes, with American citizens on them as I speak, also with these interpreters, and the Taliban is holding them hostage for demands right now," McCaul said. "State has cleared these flights, and the Taliban will not let them leave the airport."

A spokesperson told Newsweek there were unable to confirm whether Americans were waiting to board the planes to escape.

"We do not have personnel on the ground, we do not have air assets in the country, we do not control the airspace—whether over Afghanistan or elsewhere in the region," the unidentified official said.

Glenn Beck had raised more than $22 million from donors and his radio audience to fund the mission to rescue Christians, Americans and Afghan allies from the Taliban-controlled nation.

Here's more about the effort to rescue Americans from Afghanistan:

Afghanistan UPDATE: Evacuation ending with THOUSANDS still in dangerwww.youtube.com

Rep. Mullin accuses Biden of thwarting his mission to help American citizens get out of Afghanistan



Republican Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma defended his "rogue" mission to try to help American citizens leave Afghanistan and accused the Biden administration of standing in the way.

"When I say that blood is on his hands, that means the President Biden's hands, I mean that with everything in my heart," said Mullin in an interview Friday with Bret Baier of Fox News.

"It's his fault. I wouldn't have been over there, I wouldn't have even thought about going, if it wasn't for his failure," he added. "I wouldn't have put my life in danger. I wouldn't have put my kids and my wife through that. I wouldn't have put anybody through it."

Mullin described how difficult it was to try to help American citizens and Afghan allies to get out of Afghanistan.

"It came out that they needed a State Department, or a government entity to sponsor their flight going in, that's the only way they could get in, and no one would sponsor their flight, even though it was designated to get these twenty Americans out," said Mullin.

He went on to say that he as a member of Congress could sponsor a flight to give other departments cover.

"When you see a problem, how do you say no if you can be an asset? And they believed I could be an asset," he explained.

Mullin said that his plane circled the Kabul airport for an hour but was not allowed to land.

"You don't know who shut you down from landing?" Baier asked.

"I don't know who shut us down. But I think it was 100 percent directed from the State Department," Mullin replied.

He also accused the Biden administration of lying when they said that Americans who wanted to get out of Afghanistan could get out.

"We quickly realized that the president and the State Department, General Milley, General McKenzie, were lying to the American people by saying everybody that wanted to get out could get out," said Mullin.

"That is a lie, that is a bold-faced, one hundred percent lie, because we're working with these individuals," he added.

Mullin said that he had confirmed there were people still trying to get out of Afghanistan, including American citizens. He said that he had a list of fifty people that were in safe houses still waiting to be evacuated.

Here's the entire Fox News interview with Rep. Mullin:

Rep. Mullin blasts Biden after covert rescue mission into Afghanistan was thwartedwww.youtube.com

Taliban reportedly kicks pregnant American in stomach as she tries to evacuate Kabul. She is still trapped there and in hiding.



Taliban militants kicked a pregnant American in the stomach as she tried to evacuate Kabul, Afghanistan, with her husband and father — and she's still trapped there and in hiding, Fox News reported.

'Kicked in the stomach'

Fox News' Ainsley Earhardt on Tuesday spoke to Republican U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa of California about the pregnant woman he called "Nasria," who never made it aboard an aircraft and out of danger.

"She was kicked in the stomach, but she was kicked in the stomach well after — as she got through the first checkpoint where she remained for hours, waiting for those people at the south point to supposedly come out and get her," Issa told the cable network. "It wasn't until it was clear they'd closed, [that] they weren't taking anyone else for quite a while, that finally she accepted that she was going to have to go back and hide in her apartment."

The congressman also told Fox News that "Nasria" made "multiple trips" to the airport before U.S. forces departed.

Issa added to Earhardt that about three hours prior to their interview his team had been attempting to arrange a "possible alternative" way out of the country but that a "third party" would be involved and that it was nixed for being "too dangerous."

"We've agreed that she's going to stay sheltered in place, hiding her identity and hoping that her friends will continue to bring her food and keep her secret until frankly we can come up with something new," he also told Fox News, adding that "we know her exact location but literally are afraid to even have a conversation about a rendezvous until we know where and when somebody could meet her."

Earhardt asked Issa if that fear was due to others possibly listening to phone calls, and he replied affirmatively.

"The Russians have already come in, as have the Chinese. Once you control a phone system — the ability to find out where every cell is and who owns it — they have that data now," the congressman told Fox News. "So anyone who wants to remain unknown has to switch phones, turn them off, use all the techniques that you would use if you were in survival, escape, and evasion."

He added that while the Taliban's intentions aren't known, it helps to remember that "the president made an agreement and kept an agreement with a terrorist group that was responsible for harboring those who [attacked] us on 9/11, and then didn't keep his promise to the American people."

Issa also offered the grim reality that after U.S. diplomats moved to Qatar, "there's no longer any diplomatic mission in Kabul. So the idea that either military or diplomatic is going to work is hoping that a terrorist group — still with relations with other terrorist groups — somehow is going to help us get Americans out."

'These people were stranded'

The congressman also declared that "anyone" who says U.S. leaders "didn't break a promise to the American people and [left] people behind is wrong. Anyone who says that there aren't people stranded is wrong. These people were stranded; they did everything they were supposed to do, and they simply were not a priority at the end."

Republican member of Congress reportedly missing after rogue mission to rescue five Americans in Afghanistan



A Republican member of Congress is reportedly missing after saying he was trying to save five American citizens from Afghanistan, according to a report by the Washington Post.

Officials told the Post that the whereabouts of Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma are unknown.

The report said that Mullin, 44, became enraged on Monday when a U.S. ambassador refused his request to help move large amounts of money into Tajikistan for his mission to save an American mother and her four children. The ambassador told him the request would be illegal, which reportedly prompted Mullin to threaten the ambassador and his staff.

The Republican had ignored warnings from the State Department and the Pentagon to avoid travelling to Afghanistan.

Mullin had said he was planning to hire a helicopter to help the 5 Americans escape the Taliban-controlled country. He was flying from Tblisi, Georgia, into the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe.

"To say this is extremely dangerous is a massive understatement," said one unidentified official to the Post.

The Pentagon had previously denied Mullin's request to travel to Afghanistan from Greece last week.

Many Americans were outraged when the U.S. military ended its evacuation mission in Afghanistan on Monday while abandoning between a hundred and two hundred Americans in the Taliban-controlled nation.

On Tuesday President Joe Biden pledged support for those Americans even as the administration was lambasted by critics for previously saying no Americans would be stranded.

"The bottom line, 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. And for those remaining Americans, there is no deadline! We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out!" shouted Biden during his address to the nation.

Here's more about the Americans abandoned in Afghanistan:

Biden Pledges Support To Americans Still In Afghanistanwww.youtube.com

Pentagon spox downplays leaving Americans stranded in Afghanistan: 'We have Americans that get stranded in countries all the time'



Pentagon press secretary John Kirby continued to put his foot in his mouth Tuesday while trying to convince the public that the Biden administration has things under control in Afghanistan.

What happened?

While speaking with MSNBC's Willie Geist on "Morning Joe," Kirby trotted out a strange talking point regarding the American citizens currently stranded in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as evacuation efforts have ended.

The beleaguered spokesman appeared to downplay the situation by essentially arguing that this sort of thing happens "all the time."

"So what does that look like, how does diplomacy get those people out of the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan?" asked Geist.

"It's not completely unlike the way we do it elsewhere around the world," Kirby replied. "I mean, we have Americans that get stranded in countries all the time."

Biden’s Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby: “We have Americans that get #stranded in countries all the time.” https://t.co/VXH5vxAwlI

— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) 1630415090.0

What was the reaction?

The response immediately drew backlash on social media.

"Imagine being an American stranded in Afghanistan and hearing the spokesman for the department who is responsible for getting you out saying this," tweeted Amy Tarkanian. "Absolutely unbelievable."

"This is the message we are left with from the Biden administration as hundreds of our citizens may never make it home," added Republican Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.)

"Not so much 'stranded' as abandoned," clarified Andrew Malcolm.

Jerusalem Post columnist Emily Schrader said simply, "Shame!"

Hot Air's Ed Morrissey noted that Kirby's language makes it seem as if the Americans still left in Afghanistan got themselves stranded there under their own volition, an argument he points out is completely invalid.

"These Americans didn't get themselves stranded. They were abandoned by their own government in Biden's haste to get out of Afghanistan," he argued.

What else?

In addition to being extremely insensitive, Kirby's remarks also contradicted the administration's previous argument regarding the left-behind Americans

During a press briefing last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted that Americans are not "stranded" and that it is "irresponsible" to refer to them as such.

"I think it's irresponsible to say Americans are stranded. They are not. We are committed to bringing Americans who want to come home, home," Psaki said. "We are in touch with them via phone, via text, via e-mail, via any way that we can possibly reach Americans to get them home if they want to return home."

TODAY: Biden's Pentagon Spokesman: “We have Americans that get stranded in countries all the time”LAST WEEK: Bide… https://t.co/kNUwNbf6Gc

— Nathan Brand (@NathanBrandWA) 1630415890.0

Kirby on Tuesday added that he didn't have an "exact figure" for the number of Americans left in Afghanistan, but said he estimates the figure is "probably in the low hundreds."

'Unforgivable': Republicans lambaste President Biden for leaving Americans, Afghan allies behind in Afghanistan



President Biden is facing heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers for completing the pullout of U.S. forces from Afghanistan while leaving some American citizens stranded in the country where the Taliban has seized control.

"My heart is heavy today, knowing the Biden Administration has left behind thousands of Afghan allies and hundreds of U.S. citizens in Afghanistan, including constituents from the 2nd district," GOP Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said in a statement.

"This was completely avoidable, and the disgraceful actions by this Administration are on full display and they should be ashamed. This is the worst display of incompetence and weakness I've seen from any Administration in my lifetime," Bacon declared. "Our national honor is tarnished, our credibility with our allies is in tatters, and our country is more vulnerable to potential attacks than at any time since 2001. China, Russia, and Iran are emboldened, and the strategic repercussions will be felt for years to come."

The U.S. has now completed its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, but some American citizens remain stranded there.

"We believe there are still a small number of Americans — under 200, and likely closer to 100 — who remain in Afghanistan and want to leave," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday.

President Biden said in a statement that he has "asked the Secretary of State to lead the continued coordination with our international partners to ensure safe passage for any Americans, Afghan partners, and foreign nationals who want to leave Afghanistan."

Republican Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, who is a military veteran himself, described the abandonment of Americans and others as "unforgivable."

"This is a dark moment — a stain — in our country's history. Hundreds of Americans and thousands of Afghan allies were left behind enemy lines. This is unforgivable. Make no mistake: No one wants a forever war, but this is far from over. The Taliban are a sadistic enemy, and the American citizens and Afghan allies left behind will be their prisoners," Green said in a statement.

"Joe Biden has dishonored this country, and his incompetence has cost American lives and our national security. Our troops performed honorably. And we will never forget the men and women — my brothers and sisters in arms — who gave their lives so we may live free," Green said.

Republican Rep. Darin LaHood of Illinois described leaving Americans behind as "morally indefensible."

"It is morally indefensible that President Biden abandoned Americans stranded in Afghanistan," LaHood tweeted. "President Biden made the decision that adhering to his arbitrary deadline and keeping his promise to the Taliban was more important than keeping his promise to stranded Americans."

Dozens of California children, parents stranded in Afghanistan after summer trip



Dozens of San Diego County-area school students and their parents are stranded in Afghanistan, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times, after taking a trip abroad for summer vacation.

What are the details?

The outlet reported that at least 24 students and 16 parents from Cajon Valley Union School District in El Cajon, California, visited Afghanistan earlier this summer and are now among the thousands of people who are stranded in the war-torn country as the Taliban continues to take over.

On Tuesday, Cajon Valley Superintendent David Miyashiro announced that the students and adults traveled to the country on special visa for U.S. military services, and that the Department of Defense "considers them allies." He also noted that he would be meeting with Republican California Rep. Darrell Issa to figure out how to locate and rescue the stranded families.

It was not immediately clear at the time of this reporting when the families arrived in Afghanistan.

A spokesperson for Issa told the outlet that the congressman and his team are "working diligently to determine the facts on the ground, any bureaucratic barriers that can be removed, and the best ways to help those stranded leave Afghanistan and return home safely."

"We won't stop until we have answers and action," the spokesperson vowed.

Cajon Valley School Board President Tamara Otero said that the "biggest concern" is that the Taliban closed the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

"We are so worried about our students that are stuck there," Otero said. "We'll do the best that we can to get them out."

The New York Post reported that the trip — which was not sanctioned by the district — was for students and their parents to visit with extended relatives.

What else?

The Taliban this week demanded the evacuation operations, including U.S. troops, be completed by Aug. 31 or there would be "consequences."

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday declared that no Afghan nationals would be permitted to flee the country, and that U.S. troops would not have any option to extend the evacuation order past the Aug. 31 date.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen added that the U.S. would face "consequences" for failing to adhere to the terrorist group's demand.

"It's a red line," Shaheen warned. "President [Joe] Biden announced that on Aug. 31 they would withdraw all their military forces. So if they extend it, that means they are extending occupation."