Category: Middle East

Bipartisan Lawmakers Say Aug. 31 Afghanistan Deadline Fueling ‘Chaos and Panic’

Bipartisan lawmakers with military backgrounds on Friday took part in a roundtable to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, urging the White House to extend their evacuation efforts beyond the Kabul airport, while arguing the Aug. 31 deadline was helping fuel the chaos on the ground. Four members of Congress who served in the military—Reps. Don…


Baby Passed Over Wall at Afghanistan Airport Has Been Reunited With Family, US Says

The baby seen being passed from a crowd waiting outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, was treated and reunited with his or her parents, the Pentagon said on Friday. “The parent asked the Marines to look after the baby because the baby was ill,” John Kirby, the Pentagon’s spokesman, told reporters in Washington. “And so…


US Says a Dozen Countries to Let Kabul Evacuation Flights Transit

WASHINGTON—The U.S. government said on Friday that a dozen countries, from Europe to the Middle East and Central Asia, will allow Americans and others evacuated from Kabul to transit their territory as it steps up its evacuation efforts from Afghanistan. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Bahrain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey,…


Wisconsin Leaders React to Afghan Refugees Coming to the State

There are more questions than answers about the likely thousands of Afghans who are coming to Wisconsin. The Pentagon on Tuesday said 22,000 Afghan refugees will be sent to military bases in Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin base is Fort McCoy. Gov. Evers said he will welcome the Afghans. “Just as they protected us…


German Civilian Wounded by Gunshot on Way to Kabul Airport, Berlin Says

BERLIN—A German civilian was shot on his was to Kabul airport but is not in a life-threatening condition and will soon be flown out of Afghanistan, a German government spokeswoman said on Friday. “A German civilian suffered a gunshot wound on his way to Kabul airport. He is receiving medical attention, but his life is…


Pentagon Aware of Reports That Americans Are Being Beaten by Taliban: Spokesman

A spokesman for the Department of Defense (DOD) said the Pentagon is aware of reports that Americans have been beaten in Afghanistan by Taliban members, appearing to contradict comments made by President Joe Biden earlier in the day. Earlier Friday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told congressional lawmakers in a confidential call that U.S. citizens were…


Biden: US Watching for Terrorists, Including From ISIS, Near Kabul Airport

President Joe Biden on Friday said the U.S. military is keeping watch on possible terrorist threats near the Kabul airport, including ISIS, coming after a number of high-profile prison releases occurred as the Taliban took over Afghanistan. “We are keeping a close watch on any potential terrorist threat at or around the airport including ISIS…


US Troops Carried Out Operation to Rescue 169 Americans in Kabul

American troops left the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, this week and rescued 169 Americans, officials said Friday. The operation took place on Wednesday or Thursday, President Joe Biden said while answering questions at the White House. U.S. troops saw the Americans outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport and decided to act, Department of Defense spokesman John…


Biden Vows to Bring Home Every American Who Wants to Leave Afghanistan

The United States still does not know how many Americans are in Afghanistan, President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday, but will evacuate every U.S. citizen who wants to leave the country. “We’re working to verify that number of Americans that are still in the country, because we don’t know the exact number of Americans…


Taliban Accused of Brutally Killing, Torturing Minority Group Men: Amnesty

Taliban extremists brutally massacred several members of the minority Hazara community after taking control of Ghazni province, according to a recent report from human rights organization Amnesty International, disputing public claims that the Taliban will provide amnesty for certain groups after taking over Afghanistan this week. “On-the-ground researchers spoke to eyewitnesses who gave harrowing accounts…