People who have been evacuated from Afghanistan arrive at Pristina International Airport in Pristina, Kosovo August 29, 2021. REUTERS/Laura Hasani
CNN: Taliban members escorted Americans to gates at Kabul airport in secret arrangement with US
(CNN)The US military negotiated a secret arrangement with the Taliban that resulted in Taliban members escorting groups of Americans to the gates of the Kabul airport as they sought to escape Afghanistan, according to two defense officials.
One of the officials also revealed that US special operations forces set up a "secret gate" at the airport and established "call centers" to guide Americans through the evacuation process.
The officials said Americans were notified to gather at pre-set "muster points" close to the airport where the Taliban would gather the Americans, check their credentials and take them a short distance to a gate manned by American forces who were standing by to let them inside amid huge crowds of Afghans seeking to flee.
The US troops were able to see the Americans approach with their Taliban escorts in most cases in an attempt to ensure their safety.
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WNU Editor: Not surprised. This blog speculated last week ago that the U.S. was probably bribing the Taliban to let Americans through the crowds and into the airport. I just want to know how much was paid to these Taliban fighters and commanders to let this happen. My gut tells me it was a lot of money.