Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden's handling of the 2021 American withdrawal from Afghanistan, claiming that hundreds or thousands of U.S. citizens were left behind. However, senior Biden administration officials maintain that only two Americans are currently being held by the Taliban, while others in Afghanistan are there voluntarily.
The State Department acknowledges that it cannot provide an exact figure for the number of U.S. citizens in Afghanistan seeking assistance to leave. One of the Americans detained by the Taliban, Ryan Corbett, returned to Afghanistan after fleeing in 2021. The other individual entered the country on a tourist visa after the evacuation.
Despite Trump's assertions, the Biden administration insists that every American who wanted to leave Afghanistan has done so. They also emphasize that they are continuing to evacuate Afghan allies.
The Taliban's actions since regaining power have been concerning. They have reportedly killed Afghan security forces members and banned girls over 11 from attending school. The ban is enforced unevenly, but an unknown number of Afghan women are believed to desire leaving the country.
Trump's spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, defends his criticism of Biden, citing the deaths of 13 U.S. service members at Abbey Gate during the evacuation and the Taliban's acquisition of U.S. military equipment.
0 Comments
Name
Comment Text