A mainstream news reporter said early on Friday that sources inside Afghanistan told her the situation is “rapidly deteriorating” and that some Americans were getting “beaten throughout the night” by Taliban extremists.
“A source tells me, ‘Situation [in Afghanistan] is rapidly deteriorating… We’ve had Americans get beaten throughout the night,'” Sasha Ingber, a reporter for Newsy, wrote on Twitter. “One of them, an American woman, was beaten ‘twice’ even though she was carrying a U.S. passport.”
A source tells me, “Situation [in Afghanistan] is rapidly deteriorating… We’ve had Americans get beaten throughout the night.” One of them, an American woman, was beaten “twice” even though she was carrying a U.S. passport.
— Sasha Ingber (@SashaIngber) August 20, 2021
“Yesterday @PentagonPresSec said Americans are not being impeded as they travel to the Kabul airport, no Americans harmed. The Taliban agreed to let them evacuate,” she continued. “What I am hearing suggests otherwise. Americans have been injured and stopped from boarding planes.”
“I’m also told Taliban is targeting Afghans US worked with, ‘going door to door and executing anyone that has worked with the US,'” she continued. “That ‘Taliban are searching the cars at checkpoints to find out something related to the foreign countries specially United States.’ Separate sources.”
I’m also told Taliban is targeting Afghans US worked with, “going door to door and executing anyone that has worked with the US.” That “Taliban are searching the cars at checkpoints to find out something related to the foreign countries specially United States.” Separate sources.
— Sasha Ingber (@SashaIngber) August 20, 2021
“Chaos ‘at all gates’ in Kabul right now. Taliban gunfire, beating people,” she later added. “I’m messaging with an interpreter who is there, trying to get into one of the gates. All gates are closed because the airfield is currently at max capacity, I am told.”
Chaos “at all gates” in Kabul right now. Taliban gunfire, beating people. I’m messaging with an interpreter who is there, trying to get into one of the gates. All gates are closed because the airfield is currently at max capacity, I am told.
— Sasha Ingber (@SashaIngber) August 20, 2021
The news comes after Taliban terrorists reportedly murdered a family member of a Deutsche Welle journalist on Thursday and injured seriously injured another during a shooting as they tried to track down the journalist.
“The killing of a close relative of one of our editors by the Taliban yesterday is inconceivably tragic, and testifies to the acute danger in which all our employees and their families in Afghanistan find themselves,” Deutsche Welle Director General Peter Limbourg said. “It is evident that the Taliban are already carrying out organized searches for journalists, both in Kabul and in the provinces. We are running out of time!”
The New York Times added:
The United States has rushed troops and diplomatic reinforcements to the Kabul airport in recent days to speed up visa processing for Afghans. American commanders are negotiating daily with their Taliban counterparts — the former insurgents they battled for nearly two decades — to ensure that evacuees can reach the airport. But the reassurances from Washington belie the fear and futility on the ground.
Thousands are waiting fearfully outside the airport gates, where Taliban soldiers have attacked people with sticks and rifle butts. As Afghans clutching travel documents camped outside amid Taliban checkpoints and tangles of concertina wire, anxious crowds were pressed up against blast walls, with women and children being hoisted into the arms of U.S. soldiers on the other side. Since sweeping into Kabul last weekend, the Taliban have moved swiftly to cement their control over Afghanistan, dispersing protests with force and hunting down opponents despite pledges of amnesty, according to witnesses and a security assessment prepared for the United Nations.
US pulled out troops
Taliban takes over
US has to put in MORE troops than in Afghanistan before to evacuate citizens and allies, while pleading with Taliban to allow safe passage, which theyre not providing https://t.co/wAx76PvD2O— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) August 20, 2021
This report has been update to include additional information.