6 aircraft stuck in Afghan airport, no Taliban clearance to fly: Report

Washington

About 1,000 people, including Americans, have been stuck inAfghanistan for days awaiting clearance for their charter flights to leave, anorganizer told Reuters, blaming the delay on the US State Department.

The confusion was the latest flashpoint following a chaoticUS military withdrawal completed after Taliban seized power in Kabul on Aug.15, after the Western-backed government collapsed.

Exasperated by the delays, the organizer said the StateDepartment had failed to tell the Taliban of its approval for flight departuresfrom the international airport in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif orvalidate a landing site.

"They need to be held accountable for putting thesepeople's lives in danger," said the organizer, who sought anonymitybecause of the sensitivity of the issue.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity,challenged the idea that Americans were at risk, saying the US government"has not confirmed any Americans are in Mazar-i-Sharif trying to leavefrom the airport."

Asked about charter flights, a State Department spokespersondid not address specific accusations but stressed the United States did nothave personnel on the ground and so lacked a reliable means to confirm thebasic details of charter flights.

That includes verifying the number of US citizens and othersaboard, the accuracy of the rest of the manifest or "where they plan toland, among many other issues." The spokesperson added, "We will holdthe Taliban to its pledge to let people freely depart Afghanistan."

Earlier on Sunday, the senior Republican on the US House ofRepresentatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Mike McCaul, told "Fox NewsSunday" that six airplanes were stuck at Mazar-i-Sharif airport withAmericans and Afghan interpreters aboard, unable to take off as they had notreceived Taliban clearance.

He said the Taliban were holding passengers "hostagefor demands," but multiple sources disputed that account, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Another Republican US representative, Mike Waltz, called onthe State Department to work with non-government groups he said were trying toclear charter flights to evacuate Americans and Afghans at risk. There were manifested charter flights "available,funded, and ready to fly" people out, Waltz told Secretary of State AntonyBlinken in a letter, citing remarks of several NGOs.