With Secretary of State Antony Blinken, President Joe Biden. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
American citizens can get to Kabul airport easily, according to President Joe Biden.
Foreign correspondents in Afghanistan quickly refuted this assertion.
CNN's reporter stated that although technically it is possible, it is extremely dangerous and difficult.
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Foreign correspondents in Afghanistan called President Joe Biden on Friday for saying that Americans have never had difficulty getting to Kabul Airport.
On Sunday, the Taliban took control of Kabul and declared it the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban have established a perimeter around Kabul's airport. Meanwhile, US forces within that perimeter are trying to fly Afghans and citizens out of Afghanistan.
"We don't know if they have been unable to enter Kabul via the airport," Biden said. When Biden was asked about reports that US citizens were trapped outside the airport and thousands of Afghans couldn't get in, Biden replied "We made an agreement with Taliban."
Foreign correspondents from CNN and ABC reported from Afghanistan. They said Biden's claim was not consistent with what they had seen.
When asked about Biden's comments, Ian Pannell, ABC foreign correspondent, said that "I mean – just totally not".
He said, "It just seems that the reality and rhetoric are miles apart."
Clarissa Ward, CNN's Clarissa tweets: "Anyone who claims that any American can get into here technically it's possible but it's extremely hard and it's deadly,"
"We had trouble getting into the airport. Ward said that finding the best way to get there is like solving a Rubik's Cube.
Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense, also contradicted Biden when he told members of Congress that Americans were being beat by the Taliban in Kabul.
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Later on Friday, the Pentagon's press secretary stated that the US had "communicated with the Taliban that this is absolutely unacceptable, that we want free passage through the checkpoints for documented Americans. That's what is generally happening.
Business Insider has the original article.
