Austin stated that he was also aware of the fact that certain people, including Americans have been harassed or even beaten by Taliban. This according to multiple sources. This is unacceptable, and we made this clear to the designated Taliban leader.
Austin said that, with the exceptions of these cases, we continue see Americans and Afghans appropriately credentialed continue to move through.
John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary, reiterated that the U.S. had told the Taliban it wanted free passage through these checkpoints to documented Americans. He added: In general, thats what's happening.
The House briefing, which featured remarks by Secretary of State Antony Blinken as well as Joint Chiefs Chair General Mark Milley, was one of many in the coming days. This is because lawmakers are looking for answers to questions about the failed U.S. withdrawal form Afghanistan and the Taliban's astonishingly rapid rise to power.
At least four Democratic-led congressional committees have already pledged to hold hearings on the Biden administration's pullout execution and to investigate. This has been criticized by bipartisanship.
Milley informed lawmakers that the military would increase the number of C-17 evacuation flights from Kabul from 12 to 30 per day, according to sources.
Biden made a commitment to the U.S. to evacuate all Afghan allies. This is the same promise he made to Americans in Afghanistan. During the briefing call Austin confirmed that the U.S. military had agreed to evacuate the top Afghan commandos who assisted Americans in the war effort.
Biden's withdrawal from war-torn Afghanistan, announced in April, has been criticized by Republicans. Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader, called the withdrawal a huge mistake during Friday's briefing call.
McCarthy called Austin to ask for the reopening of Bagram Air Base. This was the heartbeat of the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan. However, it was closed and abandoned earlier this year when the U.S. pulled out faster. Bagram has two runways that lead to Kabul's one. This could speed up the evacuation of both Afghan and American allies from Afghanistan.
Austin stated that we will do our best to evacuate all people between now and the time we have to stop. This apparent reference was to the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline. I will accept more time if you give me more time. It is not clear if I will be able or not to do this.
Biden suggested that he would continue to keep troops in Afghanistan past Aug. 31, if evacuations are not completed by then.
Austin stated that the U.S. is open to considering additional troop deployments. Over the past week, several thousand American troops were sent to Kabul to help with evacuations and to maintain a perimeter around it.
Biden stated earlier that the U.S. was looking at every option and every way to get people to the airport. This is despite the Taliban's documented attempts to block safe passage. It is unclear whether this would require the deployment of U.S. troops beyond the airport perimeter.
Milley explained to lawmakers that while it is not clear if troops or other military resources will be deployed beyond the airports' perimeter, the U.S. was pushing for and stopping vehicular traffic within and around interstates as well as expanding the perimeter.
Later, Blinken informed lawmakers that a new group of countries offered to host Afghan evacuees. This will clear the backlog that caused a seven hour pause in flights from Kabul earlier Friday. These countries are: Albania, Bulgarian, Canada, Colombia. Costa Rica, Chile. North Macedonia. Kosovo. Mexico. Rwanda. Uganda. Sudan.
Blinken stated that this is in addition to almost a dozen countries that have already started transporting Americans or Afghans within their territories. These include Germany, Italy and Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar. Qatar. Spain. Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan.
After a brief pause at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar where there was a backlog, flights out of Kabul were resumed Friday.
