BREAKING NEWS: Up to 1,500 Americans including 24 California school students are STILL stuck in Afghanistan: Blinken blames citizens for not leaving earlier as CIA and US helicopters start conducting missions to get everyone out
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...-Dept-says.html

As many as 1,500 Americans are looking to actively escape from Afghanistan, State Department announced
Blinken blamed US citizens for 'ignoring' public evacuation notices and not registering with the government
Republican lawmakers accused Biden of letting the Taliban dictate the terms of the US evacuation
A US military mission pulled 'less than 20' people from Kabul and brought them to the airport under the cover of darkness via helicopter, Pentagon officials revealed on Wednesday after two similar missions earlier
Among those still stranded in Afghanistan are 24 students and parents from a California school district
Evacuees said they had been attacked by the Taliban and prevented from getting to Kabul airport
The reports emerged less than 24 hours after President Biden said the Taliban needed to let people leave
Those not already at airport now have little chance of escape, as Taliban stop all Afghan citizens reaching it
Taliban has warned President Biden that there will be no extension to the August 31 evacuation deadline
US evacuated 19,000 people from Kabul, across 48 different flights, over the last 24 hours, White House says

By Elizabeth Elkind, U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.Com and Chris Pleasance and Sam Baker For Mailonline and Wires

Published: 15:06 EDT, 25 August 2021 | Updated: 16:16 EDT, 25 August 2021



Up to 1,500 Americans are still trapped in Afghanistan and the U.S. is still relying on the Taliban to allow safe passage to Kabul airport with just six days before the August 31 deadline, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Blinken gave an update on the airlift operation and the bid to get all citizens and Afghan allies out amid reports the CIA has joined U.S. troops in rescue missions outside the airport perimeter.

Thousands of people are still trying to leave Afghanistan as U.S. troops start leaving and evacuation flights begin to wrap up, but are being stopped and beaten by insurgents on their way.

Among those left are 24 school children from California who visited on a summer trip and haven't been able to leave.

Blinken appeared to blame Americans still on the ground for not leaving fast enough after first being warned earlier this year to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible.-- excerpt, rest at link above --