Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers on Aug. 20 that Americans trying to leave Afghanistan have been beaten by Taliban fighters, according to several people who participated in a briefing call with Austin and other top officials.
Politico: Austin says Americans have been ‘beaten’ by the Taliban
Taliban fighters stand guard along a roadside near the Zanbaq Square in Kabul on Aug. 16, 2021 as the Taliban were in control of Afghanistan after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and conceded the insurgents had won the 20-year war.