Five days after the last American plane left Afghanistan, a bunch of people is stranded on a tarmac in North Afghanistan. I guess they are going to have problems, why? Because they are not validated at to the manifest of the plane. When the Americans left everyone on the planes was validated in their credentials. These evacuees are not. That is why it was important to leave while everyone had a chance. The explosions of ISIS drove people to northern Afghanistan and now they want the right to leave. It isn't going to happen.
They are not hostages so much as prisoners because of the lack of identity provided in the manifest.
By Daniella Diaz, Jennifer Hansler, Nicky Robertson and Sonnet Swire
Rep. Michael McCaul, (click here) the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has received classified briefings that American citizens and Afghan allies are stuck at the Mazar-i-Sharif airport in Afghanistan.
"(The Taliban) are not clearing the airplanes to depart. They've sat at the airport for the last couple of days," McCaul said on Fox News Sunday. "We know the reason why is because the Taliban want something in exchange. This is really Chris, turning into a hostage situation where they're not going to allow American citizens leave until they get full recognition from the United States of America."
McCaul told Fox News that he has received information "in the classified space," that the number of Americans in Afghanistan is "in the hundreds."
The Texas Republican added: "We have six airplanes at Mazar Sharif airport, six airplanes with American citizens on them as I speak, also with these interpreters, and the Taliban is holding them hostage for demands right now." CNN has not been able to independently confirm McCaul's claim that aircraft with American citizens onboard have been unable to leave the airport....
No matter what airport they land at they will be arrested. The manifest does not match the passengers is what is being reported. I strongly suggest if Afghans have made it to Mazar Sharif Airport, they should have kept moving north by car or foot to Tajikistan.
McCaul is inflammatory. He lacks a plan to bring about a movement for these people.
ARE THERE ANY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS? Tajikistan has airports but can they accommodate the aircraft leaving Mazar-i-Sharif airport.
This was all classified information and now the lives of the people on the plane are in danger because McCaul decided to play politics with people's lives. This is going to continue because IS-K attacked Afghans trying to leave the airport. McCaul should not have leaked this information and there might have been something we could have done, but, playing politics with lives is not going to protect them or facilitate them to a different place. Leaking this information is completely irresponsible.
August 16, 2021
By John Cox
With the collapse of the Afghanistan government, (click here) what happens to the airspace? Can flights get in and out of Kabul or overfly the country?
On Sunday, airlines were notified that civilian air traffic control services were no longer available in Afghanistan. Kabul's airport has closed to civilian air traffic, and all commercial flights in and out of Afghanistan are canceled.
That hasn't stopped desperate civilians from trying to get out of the country as the Taliban reassumed power. On Monday, USA TODAY reported that seven people died amid the mayhem as crowds swarmed the military landing strip at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Military aircraft are flying in Afghanistan to provide evacuation services and are being controlled by U.S. military controllers. How long that evacuation will take is uncertain....
