The Taliban escorted American citizens under a tacit agreement 4
Two US officials said on August 31 that during the recent evacuation campaign from Afghanistan, American citizens were informed of gathering points near Hamid Karzai International Airport in the capital Kabul, then gunmen
Throughout the process, US officials emphasized that the Taliban were cooperating and committed to providing safe passage for US citizens.
One of the key staging points is an Afghan Interior Ministry building outside Kabul airport, where American forces can easily observe arriving citizens.
It’s unclear whether the Taliban turned their backs on any American citizens while checking the information.
Gunmen from the Taliban’s Bardi 313 task force at Kabul airport on August 31.
US soldiers from the Special Operations Command and other special operations units are also present in Kabul to help American citizens find their way to the airport.
The secret gate allows the US military to protect its citizens by avoiding them from passing through the usual entrances, where thousands of Afghans gather and pose a hidden risk of attack.
During a press conference on August 30, General Frank McKenzie, commander of the US Central Command, said US special forces had brought in 1,064 American citizens, 2,017 at-risk Afghans and 127 citizens of other countries.
US officials said the secret agreement with the Taliban was so sensitive that it was not disclosed during the two weeks of the evacuation campaign.
IS-K, the Afghan branch of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) and sworn enemy of the Taliban, claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing at the Abbey gate of Kabul airport on August 26, causing
The United States has been in military and diplomatic contact with the Taliban for many years in political negotiations and efforts to end the conflict, but the tacit agreement between the US military and the Taliban is considered an unprecedented tactical coordination action.
Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns last week made an unusual trip to the capital Kabul and met with Taliban deputy leader Abdul Ghani Baradar.
By the time the US withdrew all forces from Afghanistan on August 30, a total of more than 122,000 people were evacuated by air from Kabul airport, including more than 6,000 American civilians.
