U.S. forces late Tuesday night rescued more than a dozen Americans trapped in Kabul and flew them via helicopter to the city’s airport, Pentagon officials said, marking at least the third time troops have exited the airport perimeter and bypassed Taliban checkpoints.
Officials were tight-lipped on specific details, but the mission is significant because it suggests Taliban checkpoints outside the Kabul airport are blocking American citizens’ access to the facility, despite the Biden administration’s claims to the contrary.
“Last night during the period of darkness, there was an operation to go out and safely evacuate evacuees back into Kabul [airport]. They are at [the airport], they are safely there and preparing to be evacuated,” Army Maj. Gen. Willian D. “Hank” Taylor told reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday morning.
The mission was “outside of the airfield,” according to Gen. Taylor.
Pressed on the specifics, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said “less than 20” Americans were flown to the airfield.
They were rescued by military helicopter somewhere inside the city of Kabul, officials said.
The Biden administration has come under pressure to ramp up such missions as the president’s self-imposed Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline draws closer. It’s unclear how many American citizens and Afghan allies remain stranded outside the airport. Access to the airport is tightly controlled by Taliban fighters manning checkpoints on streets surrounding the facility.
Tuesday night’s mission is at least the third conducted by U.S. forces over the past week. The largest came last week when at least 169 Americans were flown via helicopter from a Kabul hotel to the airport.
Other nations’ militaries also reportedly have gone outside the airport perimeter to recover their citizens.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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