U.S. Eyeing at Land Routes to Evacuate Stranded Americans, Afghan Allies in Afghanistan
The U.S. is looking for ways, including via land routes, to evacuate the Americans and Afghan allies that were left behind in Afghanistan after the U.S. completed its withdrawal.
U.S. officials on Wednesday said they were exploring all possible options to transport Americans and Afghan allies who want to leave Afghanistan as the Taliban took over the South Asian country.
U.S. Looks for Avenues to Evacuate Americans Out of Afghanistan
U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland admitted that the Biden administration is looking for ways, such as air routes and land routes, to help eligible individuals who were not airlifted out.
Nuland declined to share details on the possible land routes to minimize potential risks for people who may have to take them.
State Department Spokesperson Ned Price also said Wednesday that Washington fully backs the reopening of the Kabul airport, which according to him, will allow U.S. citizens to leave Afghanistan and deliver humanitarian aid in the country.
Price said that the Turks and Qataris and the forces on the ground were working quickly to reopen the civilian airport.
"This is an endeavor that we continue to support in every way we believe it is important for our own interests," Price noted.
Nuland also did not disclose in Wednesday briefing the exact number of Americans who remained in Afghanistan. However, Nuland noted that the Biden administration's top priority is to evacuate the remaining 100 to 200 American citizens out of Afghanistan.
Officials earlier announced that at least 6,000 Americans have been evacuated since mid-August out of the more than 123,000 people evacuated from Kabul in the U.S.-led airlift.
On Tuesday, the White House corrected President Joe Biden's claims that 90 percent of Americans have been evacuated from Afghanistan. The word 90 was seen with a strikethrough in an official transcript released by the White House and added 98 in parenthesis.
El Cajon Valley Union School District earlier noted that their employees and rescued families estimated that more than a thousand children who are either U.S. citizens or the children of SIVs are still stuck in Afghanistan.
27 California Students Still Trapped in Afghanistan
San Juan Unified School District's director of communication, Raj Rai, said at least 27 public school students from Sacramento, California remained in Afghanistan.
The said students, ranging from elementary to high school, were reported to be from 19 families from the district. Most of the students have family members with them.
Rai noted that the numbers continue to change "rapidly." He also said some of the families "may be in transit out of Afghanistan."
The students were not the only Californians who were stranded in the South Asian country. It can be recalled that seven out of eight families from El Cajon were recently evacuated from the Taliban-controlled country.
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Written by: Joshua Summers
WATCH: U.S. Troops Secure Kabul Airport for Afghanistan Evacuations - From NBC News