The State Department on Friday conceded that there are significantly more Americans in Afghanistan than previously estimated — leading to Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and other Republicans to accuse the administration of a “betrayal” of Americans abroad.
State Department officials briefed congressional staff this week and told them that it is in touch with 363 Americans in Afghanistan and nearly 176 legal permanent residents, a congressional source who was on the call told Fox News.
That 363 number is significantly higher than previous estimates by the Biden administration, which had put the number at around 100 in September — and is only the number with whom the State Dept. is in contact. CNN first reported the 363 figure.
It comes amid continuing fallout from the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan ahead of the Aug 31 withdrawal deadline — which saw a scramble of Americans and Afghans trying to get out of the country before the Taliban took over.
At a press briefing Friday, State Department spokesman Ned Price did not confirm to reporters the number the department was in touch with as a whole — but said that the number of Americans who actually wish to leave was at one point below 100 but was now between 100 and 200 amid a fluid situation on the ground.
“That figure has risen in recent days as more Americans in Afghanistan have decided to depart in light of our successful facilitation of dozens of departures in recent weeks,” he said.
So far the State Department has facilitated the departure of 234 citizens and 144 lawful permanent residents, he said.
Issa, who has been working to evacuate a number of Americans stuck in Afghanistan back to the United States, said he saw the numbers as proof the administration had lied about the withdrawal.
“What we long suspected is now confirmed: what the White House calls a historically successful airlift was in reality the worst ever betrayal of American citizens in a foreign land,” he told Fox News. “So they lied about it from the beginning.”
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