State Dept. officials 'haunted by choices we had to make' in Afghanistan withdrawal

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Senior State Department officials said Wednesday that they are "haunted by choices we had to make" in the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, while estimating the "majority" of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants were left behind. 

Officials, during a briefing with reporters Wednesday, reflected on the constraints on those attempting to access Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport to be airlifted to safety from Afghanistan. 

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Officials said access to the airport was "designed to be difficult," but that "viral communications" became a problem when trying to relay information to priority groups. 

"Everything we tried to communicate was immediately available to a massive pool of people," an official said. "Any effort we used to prioritize was almost instantly ubiquitous. It wasn’t pretty, it was very challenging, because of the constraints." 

"We are haunted by choices we had to make and the people we were unable to help," an official said. 

Officials did not share information on whether any Americans have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the full withdrawal of U.S. troops on Monday evening. The White House says around 124,000 people were evacuated until Monday evening.

Officials did say, however, that since the completion of the retrograde, there has been looting, damage and destruction of equipment that was essential to operating the airport, adding that destruction is expected to delay the effort for the airport to reopen. 

Another official said the changing criteria of who to let into the airfield "reflected the tyranny of physics and time," adding that every day was a constant improvisational effort. 

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As for those Afghans applying for SIVs, an official said the "majority" were left behind. 

"I don’t have an estimate for you on the numbers of SIVs and family members who are still there, but I would say it’s the majority of them," the official said, saying his estimate was "based on anecdotal information about the populations we were able to support." 

The Biden administration has said the mission to evacuate American citizens and Afghan allies from Taliban Afghanistan has shifted from a military to a "diplomatic mission." 

Meanwhile, President Biden on Tuesday said the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution that "sent a clear message" about the international community’s expectations for the Taliban to "deliver on moving forward – notably freedom of travel, freedom to leave." 

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"We are joined by over 100 countries that are determined to make sure the Taliban uphold those commitments," Biden said, adding that would "include ongoing efforts in Afghanistan to reopen the airport, as well as overland routes, allowing for continued departure to those who want to leave and deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan." 

"The Taliban has made public commitments broadcast on television and radio across Afghanistan on safe passage for anyone wanting to leave, including those who worked alongside Americans," Biden said. "We don't take them by their word alone. But by their actions. And we have leverage to make sure those commitments are met."