Left Behind: The Americans Stranded In Afghanistan

The number of Americans still in Afghanistan is difficult to pinpoint, with estimates ranging from 80 to 200. In March 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that there were approximately 175 Americans left in Afghanistan, with several being detained by the Taliban. This figure is a far cry from the Biden Administration's original claim of 100-150 Americans left in the country during the withdrawal. The White House has since put the figure at 100 to 200, with one Republican lawmaker suggesting the number could be much higher. The varying estimates and lack of precise data highlight the challenges in determining an exact count, especially considering factors such as dual citizenship and Americans with deep roots in Afghanistan.

Americans detained by the Taliban

The Taliban has been detaining Americans in Afghanistan, with several Americans believed to be held captive as of March 2023. The exact number of Americans detained is unknown, but sources indicate that it could be at least one or several.

In March 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that "several Americans" were being detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Blinken also stated that there were approximately 175 Americans still in Afghanistan, with 44 of them wanting to leave. However, he did not specify how many of the 175 were being detained.

The Taliban's detention of Americans has sparked outrage and calls for accountability from the Biden administration. One case that has gained significant attention is that of Mark Frerichs, a civil engineer and Navy veteran who was abducted in Kabul in 2020. In April 2022, a video emerged showing Frerichs pleading for his freedom, which his sister confirmed as the first sign of progress since the US withdrawal. Despite negotiations and calls for a prisoner exchange, Frerichs remains in captivity as of April 2022.

In another case, two brothers, Safi Rauf (a US citizen and Navy reservist) and Anees Khalil (a British citizen with a US green card), were detained by the Taliban while engaged in licensed humanitarian aid work. They were released in March 2022 after 105 days of detention and returned home safely.

The detentions of Americans by the Taliban have inflamed tensions and damaged relations between the group and the US. The US National Security Council has called the detentions "unacceptable" and urged the Taliban to release any Americans being held unjustly.

The exact number of Americans detained by the Taliban remains unclear, and the situation is ongoing as of March 2023.

Americans who want to leave Afghanistan

The US government has been working to evacuate Americans from Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021. The Biden administration has stated that the Taliban is not blocking Americans from leaving Afghanistan, and that the US government is committed to helping any American citizens who want to leave Afghanistan to do so. However, there have been challenges in evacuating all Americans who want to leave, and some Americans have reported difficulties getting through Taliban checkpoints and onto evacuation flights.

In the initial evacuation effort, which ended on August 31, 2021, the US and its allies evacuated approximately 120,000 people, including 6,000 Americans. At that time, the White House estimated that between 100 and 200 Americans remained in Afghanistan and wanted to leave, most of whom were dual citizens or long-time residents with family roots in the country. Since then, the US government has helped orchestrate the evacuation of about 975 additional American citizens.

As of January 2022, there were still about 80 Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave, but evacuation flights had been grounded by the Taliban for about a month. It is unclear when these flights will resume. As of March 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that there were approximately 175 Americans left in Afghanistan, with 44 ready to leave. He also stated that "several Americans" were being detained by the Taliban, but did not provide specific numbers.

Americans who don't want to leave Afghanistan

While the Biden administration has claimed that it is committed to evacuating all Americans from Afghanistan, there are still Americans who remain in the country and do not wish to leave.

In August 2021, the U.S. State Department said that roughly 350 American citizens who wanted to leave were still in Afghanistan. However, they were also in contact with an additional 280 "self-identified" Americans who said they did not want or plan to leave the country.

The State Department has attempted to reach American citizens in Afghanistan through thousands of calls, emails, texts, and WhatsApp messages. Despite these efforts, it is difficult to determine the exact number of Americans who remain in Afghanistan as the U.S. government does not track the travel of its citizens.

Some Americans have chosen to stay in Afghanistan due to family ties or political alignment with the Taliban. Others may have dedicated themselves to a profession such as journalism or missionary work and feel compelled to stay. Vicki Aken, an American who runs the International Rescue Committee's office in Kabul, has stated that she is staying to support the organization's staff, most of whom are Afghans.

As of March 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that there are approximately 175 Americans still in Afghanistan, with several being detained by the Taliban.

The Biden Administration's handling of the situation

Initially, the Biden administration estimated that there were between 100 and 150 Americans left in Afghanistan. However, this number was later disputed, with a report from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee suggesting that as many as 9,000 Americans were left behind during the withdrawal. The administration was criticised for its handling of the evacuation, with some arguing that it was poorly planned and executed.

In the aftermath of the withdrawal, the Biden administration continued to facilitate the departure of Americans from Afghanistan. As of March 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that there were approximately 175 Americans left in the country, with 44 ready to leave. He also acknowledged that "several Americans" were being detained by the Taliban, but did not provide specific numbers.

The administration's response to the situation in Afghanistan has been criticised by both Republicans and Democrats, with some arguing that the president and his advisers failed to see potential stumbling blocks and were too fixated on meeting arbitrary deadlines. There have been calls for more transparency and accountability from the Biden administration, and some lawmakers have pushed for investigations into the handling of the withdrawal.

Despite the criticism, President Biden has stood by his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, portraying it as a moral imperative and an end to a "forever war". He has also highlighted the success of the evacuation efforts, which brought over 120,000 people to safety.

The impact of the Biden administration's handling of the situation in Afghanistan extends beyond those left behind. It has also affected the country's reputation on the world stage, raising questions about the reliability of the United States as an ally. However, the administration has worked to restore its standing by providing support to Ukraine and taking a strong stance against China.

The number of Americans evacuated by the U.S. military

In March 2023, Blinken testified before Congress that the U.S. had helped orchestrate approximately 975 evacuations of American citizens since the U.S. withdrawal. This statement indicated that evacuation efforts continued even after the initial phase of the U.S. military withdrawal.

While the exact number of Americans evacuated by the U.S. military may be difficult to pinpoint due to various factors, the figures presented by officials highlight the extensive efforts undertaken to ensure the safe departure of U.S. citizens from Afghanistan.

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