Report: Afghan Staff for U.S. Embassy in Kabul ‘Deeply Disheartened’ by Evacuation Efforts

U.S soldiers stand guard along a perimeter at the international airport in Kabul, Afghanis
AP Photo/Shekib Rahmani
Paul Bois

Staff members at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, have expressed anger and betrayal over the government’s evacuation efforts.

On Saturday, NBC News received a cable detailing the lack of protection for U.S. Embassy staff members making their way to Kabul airport for evacuation:

The cable, which was sent Saturday, said memos were sent Wednesday inviting Afghan staff members at the embassy to head to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. It told them to take food and to prepare for difficult conditions.

“However, no one anticipated the brutal experience that occurred,” the cable said.

Staffers reported being jostled, hit, spat on and cursed at by Taliban fighters at checkpoints near the airport, it said, adding that criminals were taking advantage of the chaos while the U.S. military tried to maintain order “in an extremely physical situation.”

Some staff members reported that they were almost separated from their children, while others collapsed in a crush of people and had to be taken to hospitals with injuries, the cable said. Others said they had collapsed on the road because of heat exhaustion, it said.

One staff member even went as far as to say, “it would be better to die under the Taliban’s bullet” than face the burgeoning mob, while another said, “Happy to die here, but with dignity and pride.” Another staff member said their home had been vandalized with spray paint by the Taliban, a method for identifying and marking those who may have potentially aided the United States.

AFP

US President Joe Biden speaks during an update on the situation in Afghanistan and the effects of Tropical Storm Henri in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC on August 22, 2021. US President Joe Biden said Sunday he was still planning to finalize the dramatic evacuation from Afghanistan by August 31, but left the door open to extending the deadline if necessary.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

TOPSHOT - Taliban fighters in a vehicle patrol the streets of Kabul on August 23, 2021 as in the capital, the Taliban have enforced some sense of calm in a city long marred by violent crime, with their armed forces patrolling the streets and manning checkpoints. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR / AFP) (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)

TOPSHOT – Taliban fighters in a vehicle patrol the streets of Kabul on August 23, 2021 as in the capital, the Taliban have enforced some sense of calm in a city long marred by violent crime, with their armed forces patrolling the streets and manning checkpoints. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR / AFP) (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)

On Saturday, the U.S. Embassy advised that people stranded in Kabul should avoid traveling to the airport due to the overwhelming crowds and Taliban fighters.

“Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,” the embassy said on its website.

Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint near the US embassy that was previously manned by American troops, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. The Taliban declared an "amnesty" across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. (AP Photo)

Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint near the US embassy that was previously manned by American troops, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. The Taliban declared an “amnesty” across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. (AP Photo)

The embassy has listed the following safety protocols:

  • Be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially in large crowds.
  • Follow the instructions of local authorities including movement restrictions related to curfews.
  • Have a contingency plan for emergencies and review the Traveler’s Checklist.
  • Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.

Last Friday, President Joe Biden assured that the Taliban would allow Americans free passage if they presented passports at various checkpoints. His statements were in contradiction of current reports on the ground indicating that Americans are being blocked and beaten by the Taliban throughout Kabul.

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