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US Officials Handed Over Names of American Citizens, Afghan Allies to Taliban

Officials hoped Taliban would assist in evacuating the country

Taliban fighters stand guard at an entrance gate outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul on August 17, 2021. / Getty Images
August 26, 2021

U.S. officials in Afghanistan offered the names of American citizens and Afghans who assisted the United States in hopes the terrorist group would help them evacuate the country.

Congressional sources confirmed to Politico that diplomats in communication with the Taliban gave the terrorist group a roll of citizens and Afghan allies such as translators as the group took control of Kabul, including the airport.

One defense official quoted in the Politico report called the Biden administration's decision to share the names with the Taliban "appalling."

"Basically, they just put all those Afghans on a kill list," said the official. "It’s just appalling and shocking and makes you feel unclean."

As the Taliban started to take control of Kabul and thousands of refugees crowded the airport, the Biden administration stopped sharing names. Officials reportedly defended the decision as the best way to stop a shooting war between U.S. forces and the Taliban.

Revelations of the controversial decision come after a series of bombs killed 12 U.S. military service members near the Kabul airport, likely detonated by the Afghanistan affiliate of ISIS. The attack is the most deadly since 30 U.S. troops, including 22 Navy SEALs, died in a helicopter shooting in 2011.