Isis Now Poses a Serious Threat to Americans Trying to Flee Afghanistan

The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport because of 'security threats' outside its gates - reportedly coming from ISIS - a day after President Joe Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home.  

U.S. officials said the most serious threat to the airport is Afghanistan’s branch of the Islamic State, which would hurt Americans in the country and challenge the Taliban's control, The New York Times and Associated Press reported.  

'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby sidestepped multiple questions about potential ISIS attacks or its involvement multiple times during Saturday afternoon's press briefing.

Both Kirby and Major Gen. William 'Hank' Taylor seemed genuinely baffled and unaware of the Embassy's warning during Saturday's press briefing.  

As the U.S. and other world powers continue to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the Kabul airport, the situation has turned deadly.

Since Sunday, at least 12 people have been killed in and around the single runway airfield - which is the only way out of the country - NATO and Taliban officials told Reuters.

Desperation mixed with 90-degree heat, dust, dehydration and starvation over the last week have made the scene at the gates as perilous a situation for families and children, who are crammed shoulder to shoulder and pressed against concrete blast walls as they plead for their families to be allowed to leave.

The Taliban have urged those without travel documents to go home.    
The US Embassy's warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

It was the first time Biden took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - in nine days since the chaos started unfolding in Afghanistan.

'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech that he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers.

Over the past week, the U.S. evacuated 17,000 people - including 2,500 Americans - from Kabul, Major Gen. Taylor said during Saturday afternoon's press conference.

About 3,800 people were evacuated on Friday after six U.S. Air Force transport planes with about 1,600 people were able to leave Kabul on Friday plus about 32 charter planes, Taylor said during Saturday's briefing.

On Friday, The president made a promise to 'mobilize every force necessary' despite admitting he doesn't know how many Americans were left and he 'cannot promise what the final outcome will be'.

That number still eludes officials Saturday afternoon. Kirby said they don't have a 'perfect figure' of how many US citizens are still in the Afghanistan.  

A State Department spokesperson said there are about 5,000 to 10,000 US citizens still in the country.  

When asked if the window to evacuate is closing, Kirby said, 'We know we're fighting against time and space. That's the race we're in.'

'Things are changing almost by the hour. It's a very fluid and dynamic situation,' he said.  

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. was focused on the threat of an ISIS attack on Afghanistan. In an interview on Sunday, Sullivan said he couldn’t give a precise number of Americans remaining in Afghanistan, but said it was believed to be several thousand.

He went on to say the goal was to move people as rapidly and safely as possible. He added the U.S. had the capacity to get large numbers of Americans safe passage to the airport.

Sullivan noted the government was putting the highest priority on stopping or disrupting potential Islamic State attacks.