Blinken Says 'Several Americans' Remain Detained By Taliban In Afghanistan

 Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that "Several Americans" remain detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan after the Biden administration's withdrawal from the country in the summer of 2021.

"There are several Americans who are being detained by the Taliban. We are working to secure their freedom. The families have asked that we protect their identities and don't speak publicly to their cases," Blinken responded when asked by Wilson how many Americans remain in the war-torn country.

FIRST HOUSE HEARING ON BIDEN ADMIN'S AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL TO DISSECT 'STUNNING FAILURE' OF LEADERSHIP. "As we speak, American citizens who identified themselves to us who are in Afghanistan - some of whom have been there since the withdrawal, some of whom went back to Afghanistan - there are about, that we're in contact with, about 175. Forty-four of them are ready to leave, and we are working to effectuate their departure," Blinken said.

Blinken's comments come as Republicans continue to push for accountability from the Biden administration over its rocky withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members who were killed in a suicide bombing while protecting the evacuation at the Kabul airport.

ISIS GROUP IN AFGHANISTAN COULD CONDUCT 'EXTERNAL' ATTACK AGAINST US IN 6 MONTHS, US COMMANDER SAYS. Earlier this week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, sent a letter - one of many in recent months - to Blinken demanding that he provide the committee with "Documents and information concerning the Biden Administration's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan."

Specifically, McCaul is demanding information from Blinken regarding a "Dissent Channel cable reportedly sent on July 13, 2021, by 23 State Department officials and the Department's response to it," as well as an after-action report and two versions of U.S. Embassy Kabul's Emergency Action Plan prior to the embassy's closure.

McCaul reminded Blinken of that letter during his testimony to the committee on Thursday, reiterating that he will issue a subpoena if the documents are not delivered to the committee in a timely manner.

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