It is estimated that at least 250,000 Afghans who worked with the United States have not been evacuated

New estimates suggest that as many as 250,000 Afghans who may qualify for urgent US visas are still in Afghanistan, too many for US forces to rescue before next week’s departure deadline.

Even if U.S. forces continue their current pace of about 20,000 evacuations per day—which is difficult—it is estimated that the effort will not come close to rescuing the full batch of Afghans who may be eligible to leave before President Biden’s August 3 departure deadline. 31.

Many Afghan interpreters, consultants, and others who have worked with the US government or US organizations over the past 20 years and their families are eligible for special visas. Many fear Taliban reprisals and desperately need to leave.

But the numbers are accurate impossibleUS officials did not say how many remained in the country.

These estimates are based on reports on Afghan employment published annually by the Department of Defense and analyzed by the League of Wartime Allies, a group advocating for Afghans affiliated with the United States, and researchers at American University. Other estimates vary widely, from 100,000 to more than 300,000 people.

The group estimated that the number could be much higher, depending on the assumptions used: It found that more than one million Afghans remaining in the country, may qualify for expedited immigration status.

US officials said Thursday that 82,300 people, including Americans, Afghans and others, have been flown from Kabul since the government fell to Taliban forces on August 14.

To make estimates, researchers reviewed Department of Defense employment reports and estimated the number of employees who held jobs that were eligible for visas and how long they had worked. They then estimated the size of their immediate families and subtracted the number of those who had already left the country.

Among them are Afghans who are eligible for two visa programs. Special immigrant visas are available to those who worked with the US military and the US Embassy as interpreters, translators, and consultants and in other jobs during the war. Priority 2 visas are available to those who have worked in US organizations and projects supported by the US Government.

The figures do not include many Afghans who do not qualify for visas, but who may be at risk from the Taliban because of their roles in the Afghan government or army, or because they are activists or religious minorities. On Tuesday, Jin Psaki, the White House press secretary, estimated that a larger number could happen as well be in the millions.

The International Rescue Committee has estimated that 300,000 Afghan civilians Join the American mission. A management official said Earlier this week That the number of people to be evacuated could be over 100,000.

On Tuesday, President Biden reiterated his plan to withdraw all US forces by the end of the month, though he said the timetable could be adjusted if necessary. “We are currently on our way to finish by August 31st,” he said.

But other senior US officials doubt that the evacuations will be completed by then. The number of eligible Afghans is much higher than the number of Americans, which officials said is their number one priority. At least 4,500 US citizens and their family members have been evacuated, and about 1,500 US citizens remain, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Wednesday.

Mr. Blinken said on Wednesday that the United States would evacuate as many Afghan allies as possible, and that any American or Afghan who worked with the U.S. mission and wanted to leave after that date should be free to do so. He said the Taliban had promised to allow “free passage” for those eligible even after the withdrawal.

“This effort will continue every day,” he said.

But the evacuation mission is widely expected to slow considerably once the US military is out.

Despite their promises, the Taliban said they would prevent Afghans trying to leave the country from traveling to Kabul airport on Tuesday. Even as Americans continue to operate the airport, the obstacles to anyone trying to evacuate are enormous. Just getting there is a perilous ordeal, as desperate crowds grapple, defy Taliban checkpoints, block roads and risk injury or death.

Some Afghan military translators and other close allies of the United States were He is turned away at the airport A US State Department official said on Monday that US officials are in order to give priority to US citizens and green card holders. This account is supported by interviews with Afghans who have approached the airport in recent days, and groups of US veterans and other organizations that have tried to organize departures.

One woman worked for USAID describe it US officials kicked her out of the airport while she was waiting with her family at the airport.

“We risked our lives,” said the woman, who asked not to be named because of fears for her family’s safety.