The Taliban has reportedly been “beating and harassing evacuees” at Kabul International Airport, according to John Noonan, the senior counselor for Military & Defense Affairs with Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton.
“Have been speaking with evacuees directly on the ground in Kabul,” Noonan tweeted. “Taliban not honoring their word. Obstructing ingress points to the airport, beating and harassing evacuees, scaring many off. US troops prohibited from expanding perimeter or helping. Many still stuck.”
Have been speaking with evacuees directly on the ground in Kabul.
Taliban not honoring their word.
Obstructing ingress points to the airport, beating and harassing evacuees, scaring many off. US troops prohibited from expanding perimeter or helping.Many still stuck.
— John Noonan (@noonanjo) August 19, 2021
Noonan tweeted he told one woman who had her 10-year-old daughter with her to move toward the East gate. The woman texted Noonan a picture of the Taliban pointing guns at evacuees and said they won’t let anyone through to the airport. “89 degrees, alone, with a little girl hurt from prior day’s rush on the gates,” Noonan tweeted. “She had to go back.”
I told one woman to move towards the East gate. She has her injured 10 year old girl with her. She sent me this pic and texted that Taliban won’t let them through. 89 degrees, alone, with a little girl hurt from prior day’s rush on the gates. She had to go back. pic.twitter.com/Qmga3boD09
— John Noonan (@noonanjo) August 19, 2021
Noonan also said another evacuee, a U.S. citizen, told him that he plans on going to the airport Friday with his injured mother. The U.S. citizen texted him that his friend has a broken back from being hit with an AK-47. (RELATED: Biden Administration Reportedly Charging American Citizens Thousands For Evacuation Out Of Afghanistan)
“I also have back problems because I got hit with back of machine gun,” the U.S. citizen texted Noonan.
Another evacuee, a US citizen texted:
“We are going tomorrow to airport my mother is also injured and so is one the guys I think he has broken back from the When they hit him with an AK.”
“I also have back problems because I got hit with back of machine gun.”
— John Noonan (@noonanjo) August 19, 2021
“We are trying to get these people out, especially State Dept and our military who are both trying to work miracles against restrictive ROEs but they don’t have a good goddamn chance if the Taliban won’t let them near the airport,” Noonan tweeted.
We are trying to get these people out, especially State Dept and our military who are both trying to work miracles against restrictive ROEs but they don’t have a good goddamn chance if the Taliban won’t let them near the airport.
— John Noonan (@noonanjo) August 19, 2021
The Taliban’s fast takeover in Afghanistan occurred after President Joe Biden ordered that U.S. troops withdraw from the country.