American citizens and green card holders are not allowed to leave Afghanistan. The Taliban is looking for rewards or payments from the American government in what is called a hostage situation by observers.
The Taliban government is preventing six planes from departing from Mazar-i-Sharif Airport, as US citizens and alleged Afghan interpreters seek to board.
Biden officials are reportedly negotiating with leaders of the Taliban in Qatar to get the planes in the air; however, the American government has not offered enough to allow further departures from Afghanistan. The aircraft has sat on the Tarmac in northern Afghanistan for several days, as indicated by sources on the ground.
The majority of evacuees are asylum seekers; however, nineteen are American citizens, among are two legal permanent residents of the United States. A women’s sports organization organized the flights out of the country.
The Taliban has requested that the United States recognize them as Afghanistan’s legitimate government, as they seek diplomatic legitimacy. It is unclear what the Taliban wants to obtain from the hostage situation; the hundreds of evacuees delayed are not believed to be in danger at this time.