U.S troops rescued 169 Americans near Kabul, aware of reports of others beaten by Taliban

The Biden administration acknowledged Friday that U.S. troops left the Kabul airport to rescue several dozen Americans and it also is aware of reports that other Americans have been beaten or hazed by the Taliban as they seek to exit the country.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin briefed members of Congress on the alleged beatings before Pentagon spokesman John Kirby acknowledged there were reports of such violence, insisting "by and large" most American had been given free passage to escape through the airport.

“We’re certainly mindful of these reports, and they’re deeply troubling, and we have communicated to the Taliban that that’s absolutely unacceptable, that we want free passage through their checkpoints for documented Americans.” Kirby said.

Meanwhile, President Biden confirmed Friday that soldiers conducted a rescue mission on Wednesday or Thursday outside the Kabul airport, offering few details. Kirby said the total number was 169 U.S. citizens.

Kirby told reporters the group was “very close to to the perimeter of the airport, very close, and in a short amount of time, with a short amount of distance, some of our troops were able to go out there and bring them in."

The rescue is significant because it occurred shortly after Austin declared Wednesday that the U.S. military did not “have the capability to go out and collect up large numbers of people” in the collapsing country.