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Speaking at the White House press briefing yesterday, national security adviser Jake Sullivan pushed back against criticism that the Biden administration was caught flat-footed when it came to evacuating Americans out of Afghanistan.
“We communicated with American citizens for weeks, telling them to get out of the country. We offered financial assistance for those who wouldn’t be able to afford to get on flights themselves,” Sullivan said.
The Guardian’s Ben Doherty, Warren Murray and agencies report:
Taliban promises of “safe passage” to the Kabul airport for Afghans trying to flee the country have been undermined by reports of women and children being beaten and whipped as they try to pass through checkpoints set up by the militants.
Related: Afghanistan: reports emerge of Taliban beating Afghans seeking to flee Kabul
