The Fall Of Kabul To The Taliban

[Dontknow?]

KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. helicopters have ferried 96 Afghans to the Kabul airport for evacuation

The officials say sorties like this one have been underway for days as Afghans seek to flee the country taken over by the Taliban. Intelligence teams inside Kabul are helping guide both Americans and Afghans and their families to the airport or are arranging for them to be rescued by other means.

The Latest: Blinken says 12 nations to host Afghan evacuees

 

[LadyL]

Heartbreaking photo shows an Afghan child being kept warm by US military uniform during an evacuation flight out of Kabul

An Afghan child sleeps on the cargo floor of a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, kept warm by the uniform of Airman First Class Nicolas Baron, C-17 loadmaster, during an evacuation flight from Kabul, Afghanistan, August 18, 2021.
U.S. Air Force/1st Lt. Mark Lawson/Handout via Reuters

 

[Skigh]

Our boys' last stand in Kabul: British paratroopers desperately hold the line in Afghanistan | Daily Mail Online

 

[LadyL]

As the Taliban maintain control of Kabul, residents across Afghanistan are racing to delete photos from their mobile phones and social media accounts that could somehow link them to people from Western nations, international human rights groups, the Afghan military or the recently collapsed Afghan government.

Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, announced new security features Thursday for Afghan users, including a button to quickly lock an account, which prevents people who aren’t already friends with the users from downloading their profile picture or seeing their posts. Nathaniel Gleitcher, Facebook’s head of security, shared the news on Twitter.

“We also temporarily removed the ability to view and search the ‘Friends’ list for Facebook accounts in Afghanistan to help protect people from being targeted,” Gleitcher said. Facebook did not clarify if these new security features or their related help pages will be translated into local languages.

As Taliban search phones, experts fear security features aren't enough to keep Afghans safe

 

[ringbearer]

Heartbreaking photo shows an Afghan child being kept warm by US military uniform during an evacuation flight out of Kabul

An Afghan child sleeps on the cargo floor of a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, kept warm by the uniform of Airman First Class Nicolas Baron, C-17 loadmaster, during an evacuation flight from Kabul, Afghanistan, August 18, 2021.
U.S. Air Force/1st Lt. Mark Lawson/Handout via Reuters

Anyone seen any pics of Americans being evacuated on planes? I googled and didn't find any.

 

[shotgun09]

CNN's Chief International Corespondent Clarissa Ward, who has been an incredible reporter on air, from the airport in Kabul has boarded a plane out!

Her twitter, if you can see it, has pictures and videos that are heart wrenching.

"On our flight and getting ready for takeoff"

https://twitter.com/clarissaward/status/1428836195237236738

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Anyone seen any pics of Americans being evacuated on planes? I googled and didn't find any.

Americans could well be people of Afghan descent, so we may have seen them in photos.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Army helicopters picked up 169 Americans outside Kabul airport: LIVE UPDATES

Three U.S. Army CH-47 helicopters picked up 169 Americans outside Kabul's international airport, a Pentagon spokesman told reporters Friday evening.

In impromptu remarks, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirmed the chinook helicopters flew "a few hundred yards" to retrieve the group of Americans who had been told to rendezvous at a building and await extraction.

 

[ringbearer]

Americans could well be people of Afghan descent, so we may have seen them in photos.

The caption of the photo identifies that child as Afghan. I'm talking about "captioned" photos of Americans. Not people who might be Americans. I've not seen any.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

The caption of the photo identifies that child as Afghan. I'm talking about "captioned" photos of Americans. Not people who might be Americans. I've not seen any.

This is not a captioned photo, but it's one CNN reporter Clarissa Ward shot today as she took off. I'm sure it's pretty hectic, so maybe journalists are not getting captioned photos, or maybe people don't want to be identified/don't have the time to talk (that powerful photo of the sleeping child is too good to pass up, though)
https://twitter.com/clarissaward/status/1428836195237236738

ETA - I see now this was already posted, sorry.

 

[ringbearer]

This is not a captioned photo, but it's one CNN reporter Clarissa Ward shot today as she took off. I'm sure it's pretty hectic, so maybe journalists are not getting captioned photos, or maybe people don't want to be identified/don't have the time to talk.
https://twitter.com/clarissaward/status/1428836195237236738

Thanks. I saw that photo and couldn't see anyone obviously American. And I'm not counting American "journalists" in with American citizens who are currently in Afghanistan. The journalists, including Clarissa, obviously have been in close proximity to the airport at all times and don't have any problems with access to flights out like Americans having to get past the Taliban to do so. It's nice that they can get Afghan kids out though. I wonder if there are any American kids stuck there.

 

[SuziQ]

I watched the presser. I am not comforted at all. I heard the POTUS say, to the Americans trying to flee...
" You've got to get to the airport" But, again he offered no secure way there. As I linked earlier, per the U.S Embassy page.

U.S. Embassy Kabul (August 19, 2021) | U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan

Does anyone remember the fictitious book, and movie made..."The Running Man" ( By Stephen King)
That is how I picture those in Afghanistan trying to flee. But sadly, this is real life

Biden, when asked about sending troops to retrieve people, said no one has requested we do that. Just two days ago General Austin said we have no resources to do that. Which one is it?

 

[SuziQ]

KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. helicopters have ferried 96 Afghans to the Kabul airport for evacuation

The officials say sorties like this one have been underway for days as Afghans seek to flee the country taken over by the Taliban. Intelligence teams inside Kabul are helping guide both Americans and Afghans and their families to the airport or are arranging for them to be rescued by other means.

The Latest: Blinken says 12 nations to host Afghan evacuees

Thank god.

 

[ringbearer]

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told members of Congress on a conference call Friday that Americans attempting to evacuate Afghanistan have been beaten by the Taliban, directly contradicting President Biden’s assertion that U.S. citizens were not being blocked from the airport, two lawmakers told The Post.

Fleeing Americans beaten by Taliban in Kabul, Def Sec Austin tells Congress

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Thanks. I saw that photo and couldn't see anyone obviously American. And I'm not counting American "journalists" in with American citizens who are currently in Afghanistan. The journalists, including Clarissa, obviously have been in close proximity to the airport at all times and don't have any problems with access to flights out like Americans having to get past the Taliban to do so. It's nice that they can get Afghan kids out though. I wonder if there are any American kids stuck there.

Sure, but again, Americans can be dark-skinned people of Afghan ancestry. That may be who we're talking about when we think of Americans that need rescue.

 

[ringbearer]

Sure, but again, Americans can be dark-skinned people of Afghan ancestry. That may be who we're talking about when we think of Americans that need rescue.

I guess. Would be nice to see a photo of Americans of any hue being evacuated with the caption "here are some Americans being evacuated" though. I find it strange that there are none, but that's jmo.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

I think there's a lot of stuff going on that we won't hear about until afterwards. One of the authors of this AP article tweeted that he had to keep his knowledge of helicopter flights to himself for a bit.

https://twitter.com/JimLaPorta/status/1428811505437396995

Biden vows to evacuate all Americans -- and Afghan helpers

Separately, senior American military officials told the AP that a U.S. helicopter picked up Afghans, mostly women and children, and ferried them to the airport on Friday. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division airlifted the Afghans from Camp Sullivan, near the Kabul airport. Those officials commented only on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

Kirby said he was not aware of any such Friday helicopter mission.

For those living in cities and provinces outside Kabul, CIA case officers, special operation forces and agents from the Defense Intelligence Agency on the ground are gathering some U.S. citizens and Afghans who worked for the U.S. at predetermined pick-up sites.

The officials would not detail where these airlift sites were for security reasons. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations.

 

[MajorHoople]

As a German I believe when I see it, our military these days is very weak.
From what German nationals are posting on twitter they are being left alone as well and can't reach anyone to tell them where to go and what to do to get out.

One problem is that most Afghans who helped German troops don't live in Kabul but in Kunduz or Masar-i-sharif and I don't how they will get to them.

Germany took in close to 200,000 Afghans in the last 10 years, I think it's time for other nations that were involved much more in the military action in Afghanistan to take their fair share but I guess many, mostly men - will reach Germany coming via land and boats in the near future.

"mostly men - will reach Germany"

I guess this comment will be unpopular because it's discriminatory but if it were up to me,

I would only allow girls and women refugee status. I would not allow any male entry into the country.

 

[KALI]

I sure hope those in hiding have access to food, water and other necessities.

KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. helicopters have ferried 96 Afghans to the Kabul airport for evacuation

The officials say sorties like this one have been underway for days as Afghans seek to flee the country taken over by the Taliban. Intelligence teams inside Kabul are helping guide both Americans and Afghans and their families to the airport or are arranging for them to be rescued by other means.

The Latest: Blinken says 12 nations to host Afghan evacuees

 

[Reasonable & Just]

"mostly men - will reach Germany"

I guess this comment will be unpopular because it's discriminatory but if it were up to me,

I would only allow girls and women refugee status. I would not allow any male entry into the country.

I don't know about discriminatory, but a lot of translators and other helpers that our vets want out are men, so that's a factor.