Six planes funded by a charity founded by Glenn Beck have been identified as part of the evacuation planes grounded by the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to a report.
The flights chartered by Mercury One cost the organization $ 750,000 each and are currently empty at an airport in the town of Mazar-i-Sharif, an official from a non-governmental organization working on the evacuation told Newsweek .
More than 1,600 people, including more than 100 Americans, are expected to evacuate the country on planes chartered by Afghanistan’s largest private airline, Kam Air, according to the report.
The NGO official told Newsweek that no one was on the inactive planes.
“The planes are currently empty and its passengers are still waiting in their safe homes for clearance to take off from the Taliban,” the official told the publication.
“I have over 1,600 people on the main manifesto who want to fly, of which 123 are Americans and the rest are special immigration visas. “
Another NGO official told the outlet that the planes did not take off because the Taliban did not grant “final clearance” amid negotiations with the State Department which were “stuck at this point. Stadium “.
Earlier Sunday, Texas Representative Michael McCaul said six planes carrying Americans and Afghan refugees were “held hostage” by the Taliban at Mazar-i-Sharif airport.
“They don’t allow planes to leave. They’ve been sitting at the airport for the past two days, these planes, and they’re not allowed to go, “McCaul said on” Fox News Sunday “
“We know the reason is that the Taliban want something in return. It really turns into a hostage situation where they won’t allow US citizens to leave until they get full recognition from the United States of America.