Biden speech: Pentagon contradicts president and reveals Taliban beating Americans en route to airport

Republicans have continued to criticise the US military amid chaotic scenes in Kabul, with many complaining that US troops were not reaching out beyond the airport in Kabul to rescue civilians and Afghan refugees.

It follows images of troops from the UK and France carrying out missions to collect individuals who were due to be evacuated from Afghanistan following Washington DC’s chaotic withdrawal from the country, and the return of the Taliban.

Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker, tweeted on Friday that it was “humiliating to have British and French troops go into Kabul to rescue their citizens while American troops are ordered to stay hidden in the airport.”

Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, has said US forces were unable to expand beyond the airport despite having 6,000 troops on the ground in Kabul, and calls for a safety corridor to be formed to allow evacuees to reach the airport.

A deadline of 31 August looms.

The US military reportedly spent millions of dollars on uniform for the Afghan army that were unusable because the camouflage was not suited to the country’s terrain, a watchdog has revealed.

As Bloomberg reported on Thursday, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar) found that Washington spent as much as $28 million (£20.5 million) buying uniforms that the Afghan military were not able to use, in what officials said at the time was an “error” and “wasteful”.

The revelation comes amid criticism of the Biden administration’s evacuation of US civilians and Afghan refugees after the Taliban retook Kabul, and the Afghan army and government collapsed on the back of America withdrawing from the country.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says that if one American or Afghan that helped the US is left behind in Afghanistan, “then Joe Biden in my view has committed a high crime and misdemeanor under the Constitution and should be impeached.”

From a White House official via pool report:

“On August 19, the US evacuated approximately 3,000 people from Hamid Karzai International Airport on 16 C-17 flights. Nearly 350 US citizens were evacuated. Additional evacuees include family members of US citizens, SIV applicants and their families, and vulnerable Afghans. We have evacuated approximately 9,000 people since August 14. Since the end of July, we have evacuated approximately 14,000 people.

“Additionally, in the last 24 hours, the US military facilitated the departure of 11 charter flights. The passengers on those charter flights are not included in the totals above.”

The crew of the US Air Force C-17 that was photographed packed with Afghans fleeing Kabul says that the reported number of people on the flight, thought to be 640, was incorrect.

They told CNN’s New Day the actual number of people airlifted out was an astonishing 823.

The US embassy in Kabul is now telling Americans in Afghanistan that gates at the airport may open or close unexpectedly, due to crowds and the security situation.

“Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open.”

Joe Biden spoke with President Emmanuel Macron of France on Thursday about the latest developments in Afghanistan.

Both leaders “lauded the tireless efforts of their personnel working closely together in Kabul on the evacuation of their citizens, the brave Afghans who have stood by us and our NATO partners, and other vulnerable Afghan nationals”, per the White House.

“They underscored the importance of continued close coordination among allies and democratic partners on Afghanistan, including through multilateral fora, on the provision of humanitarian assistance and support for refugees.”

According to a readout from the Élysée, Mr Macron was particularly adamant about the west’s humanitarian responsibilities, telling Mr Biden: “We cannot abandon them.”

Next week they will participate in a virtual G7 leaders’ meeting to help coordinate these efforts and form a common approach.

Amanda Gorman and other high profile cultural figures have joined together to call on President Joe Biden to protect women and girls in Afghanistan.

Other names attached to the letter, shared by Axios, include actors Connie Britton and Charlize Theron, the fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg.

Clara Hill reports.

White House communications director Kate Bedingfield admitted on Friday in an interview with CNN that it did not know the precise number of Americans in Afghanistan, Politico reported.

On Thursday, the Department of Defense spokesperson John Kirby also said he had no idea how many US citizens were in the country.