US made ‘secret’ deal with Taliban to set up a gate to evacuate Americans: Report

The US made a secrete arrangement with the Taliban to set up a “secret gate” at Kabul airport for evacuating Americans out of Afghanistan, US defense officials told CNN.

The arrangement included the Taliban escorting Americans to the gate to “ensure their safety.”

The officials told CNN: “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 embassy in Afghanistan had warned American citizens on Saturday to avoid traveling to Kabul airport because of security threats.

The warning came a day after the deadly suicide bombing which targeted Kabul airport and claimed the lives of over a 100 Afghans and 13 US servicemen, in addition to wounding scores more.

The Pentagon said ISIS-K was behind the attack, and the extremist group later claimed responsibility.

After 20 years of US military presence in Afghanistan, the last of US troops and officials left the country on Monday.

“The last American soldier to leave Afghanistan: Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps boards an US air force C-17 on August 30th, 2021, ending the US mission in Kabul,” the Department of Defense said.