Six American flights prepared to evacuate at least 4,500 U.S. citizens remain stuck in Afghanistan. Special Immigrant Visas and green card holders in Afghanistan have had their evacuation flights blocked from leaving. Those leading evacuation efforts blame the U.S. State Department. The flights remained delayed as of Sept. 5.
Rick Clay, head of private rescue group PlanB, says that the State Department is the sole factor preventing his organization from leaving Afghanistan. Clay said that the State Department has not provided a clear explanation for the delays, blaming several factors from radar malfunctions to shortage of air traffic controllers. “If we can get aircraft in and pick up people and bring them out, why can’t we take them to Doha to the refugee center or other refugee centers?” Clay told Fox News.
Clay’s sentiment was echoed by two other unnamed individuals involved in evacuation efforts. “This is zero place to be negotiating with American lives,” one of these individuals told Fox.
“If one life is lost as a result of this, the blood is on the White House’s hands,” the other said. “The blood is on their hands. It is not the Taliban that is holding this up – as much as it sickens me to say that – it is the United States government.”
The second individual also suggested that the delay is motivated by embarrassment. The delayed flights are owned by private rescue operations like Clay’s PlanB, and are attempting to evacuate those left behind when the last U.S. military plane left the country on Aug. 30.
In a briefing on Sep. 2, White House press secretary Jen Psaki and State Department spokesman Ned Price addressed the delays. “We do not have personnel on the ground, nor do we have air assets in the country, and we don’t control the airspace,” Psaki explained. “So anyone who’s suggesting we are preventing these flights, that’s not accurate.”
Psaki also attempted to clarify the State Department’s thoughts on the situation. “We couldn’t prevent a charter flight from taking off, but what’s important for people to understand is where we have some concern, and that is the fact that we do not have reliable means to confirm the basic details of charter flights,” Psaki explained, “including who may be organizing them, the number of American citizens and other priority groups on board, the accuracy of the manifest and where the plane may land, what security protocols they’re taking into place.”
The rescue parties have turned their attention from the State Department to senators in both parties. Among the senators contacted were the Republicans Tom Cotton and Ron Johnson of Arkansas and Wisconsin respectively, and Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. All these individuals have agreed to push for the approval of the flights.
As rescue efforts are halted, the Taliban threaten to execute all American allies still in Afghanistan. “My family and I are facing a lot of problems,” Clay relayed from a family on one of his flights. “My children’s health is deteriorating day by day due to many worries.”