439 Americans still trapped in Afghanistan, says Pentagon during a Senate hearing

Washington: The Pentagon during a Senate hearing on Tuesday informed that there are still 439 Americans struck in Afghanistan and the United States is in touch with most of them, a media report said.

The US undersecretary of defence, Colin Kahl affirmed that officials are in contact with 363 Americans in Afghanistan and said that only 176 of them are ready and want to leave the war torn country, Khaama Press reported.

Nearly 243 of those still struck in Afghanistan either do not want to leave the country or are not ready to leave, said Kahl. He further added that the people who want to leave will be taken out by any possible means.

However, the Joe Biden government had been earlier claiming that the number of Americans left in Afghanistan is not more than 200.

The US withdrew its troops from Afghanistan on August 31, marking a messy and chaotic exit from USA’s longest war. Before leaving Afghanistan, Washington evacuated thousands of its nationals and helped in the evacuation of other countries’ citizens.

Meanwhile, the US State Department on Monday announced that it is collaborating with the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH), a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc, to extend support to the launch of the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans, who have been brought to the US under Operation Allies Welcome.

The project will help groups of people to form sponsor circles to provide initial resettlement assistance to Afghans as they come and build new lives in local communities across the nation.