WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — It’s been nearly two months since the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan came to a chaotic end. Now, with the Taliban firmly in control, we’re hearing new reports that hundreds of Americans are still stranded in Afghanistan and wanting a way out.
The Biden administration said there are as many as 300 U.S. citizens in the country, and nearly 200 of them actively want to return.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer repeatedly in a briefing Monday that there is not an active military role there any longer and he doesn’t see that changing.
He says the Pentagon is working closely with the State Department to get the remaining Americans out of the region.
He didn’t give an exact number of how many Americans are left, but Kirby says the Pentagon is committed to ensuring those that who want to get out can leave safely.
“We are aware of concerns that some of our members have about their family members, absolutely,” Kirby said. “(There is an) interagency effort to find safe passage for these individuals to the best of our ability.”
All this comes as some world leaders are warning that Afghanistan is teetering on the edge of crisis.
On Monday, the United Nations warned that more than half of country’s population will “face acute food insecurity” by next month if something isn’t done to deliver aid.