An Afghan baby who had been lifted up to a U.S. Marine guarding the perimeter of Hamid Karzai International Airport is safe and has been reunited with family members, officials said Friday.
The father passed the baby to the Americans in a desperate to ensure the infant would escape the Taliban, which has set up a tight perimeter around the airfield outside Kabul.
Video that was widely circulated on social media Friday shows a U.S. Marine standing amid the barbed wire and reaching down for the child. The incident appears to take place near one of the Taliban-controlled checkpoints leading to the airport.
“The baby seen in the video was taken to a medical treatment facility on-site and cared for by medical professionals,” said Marine Corps Maj. Jim Stenger.
“I can confirm that the baby was reunited with the father and is safe at the airport.”
While Pentagon officials say the Taliban has been cooperating with their efforts to safely evacuate Americans and at-risk Afghans from the country, there have been multiple reports of militants attacking people — including some holding U.S. passports — who are trying to make their way through the gauntlet to safety.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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