California Family Left Behind in Afghanistan After U.S. Withdrawal, 7 Others Rescued
One family from California was believed to be stranded in Afghanistan, as seven others were reported to be evacuated from the Taliban-controlled country.
The Cajon Valley Union School District confirmed the news on Tuesday afternoon, saying they are looking for other avenues to rescue the said family from California.
The family, who was from El Cajon, was left behind as the last troops from the U.S. left Afghanistan on August 30, 10 News reported. The family that was left behind in Afghanistan reportedly includes three students.
"We are exploring strategies to rescue and bring them home," the district said in a statement.
Cajon Valley spokesperson Howard Shen told Fox News that they were devising alternative strategies to get the families out because the airlift is no longer a way to bring them home.
7 California Families Evacuated From Afghanistan
Earlier on Tuesday, reports surfaced that two of the eight California families from Cajun were stuck in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrawal in the country concluded. But on Tuesday afternoon, one of the two California families was confirmed by the school district to reach safety.
The district noted that a total of seven adults and 14 children were now safe in their homes in El Cajon. The district noted that two California families are already in the U.S. and flying home to their district, while one more family was reported to be out of Afghanistan and making their way back to the U.S.
"Students returned to school this week to the open arms of their children and classmates," the district said.
The said families were reported to travel to Afghanistan separately in early May and late June, weeks before the crisis in the country unfolded.
Apart from announcing the number of California families who are now in safety, the district also offered their gratitude to Representative Darrel Issa's office for helping them bring the families home.
Fox News reported that Issa's office is among the congressional offices involved in helping their constituents and groups of Afghan allies to reach safety by getting them in touch with the NGOs, and State and Defense Department officials on the ground.
White House Corrects President Joe Biden's Claims on the Percent Rate of Americans Evacuated
The White House on Tuesday corrected President Joe Biden's claims that 90 percent of Americans have been evacuated from Afghanistan.
In an official transcript released by the White House, the word 90 was seen with a strikethrough and added 98 in parenthesis. The Biden administration has not yet released the official number of Americans or U.S. citizens who remained in the country.
Marine Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, commander of U.S Central Command, on Monday said that fewer than "250" Americans remain in Afghanistan.
However, El Cajon Valley Union School District noted that their employees and rescued families estimate that more than a thousand children who are either U.S. citizens or the children of SIVs are still stuck in Afghanistan.
According to McKenzie, the U.S. has evacuated more than 6,000 American civilians, whom they believe was the "vast majority" of those Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan.
This article is owned by Latin Post
Written By: Joshua Summers
WATCH: El Cajon Family of 5 Makes Harrowing Escape From Afghanistan - From ABC 10 News
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