Blackwater guards rescue people from Afghanistan for $6,500: The Wall Street Journal

Washington/Kabul: – Blackwater, a private military contractor, is charging $6,500 each to evacuate those fleeing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, according to The Wall Street Journal. According to the American daily, Eric Prince, the head of the Blackwater company, made the statement. White House spokeswoman Jane Psaki criticized the statement, saying the Prince was a ‘Heartless Person’ and took advantage of people’s fears to make profits.

The Taliban has taken an aggressive stance that August 31st is the deadline for withdrawal of US and other troops and civilians. The Taliban has warned that keeping foreign troops in Afghanistan beyond that deadline would be a ‘Red Line’. The efforts of the United States and other countries, in this respect, have also failed. US President Joe Biden has also hinted that the US military may be out on August 31st.

It is being reported that even if US and foreign troops withdraw, thousands of foreigners and Afghans will remain stranded in Afghanistan. Against this backdrop, it is shocking to learn that a private contractor, such as Blackwater, is launching a campaign to rescue civilians in Afghanistan. Blackwater has previously carried out military missions in Afghanistan. The contract was awarded to the company by the US government.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Eric Prince, the head of Blackwater, provided information on the rescue mission in Afghanistan. Neither the US military nor the administration has commented on the matter. However, the revelation that a private contractor operates in Afghanistan in the wake of the US military withdrawal attracts attention. Along with the report in The Wall Street Journal, Eric Prince’s interview with Fox News has also been broadcasted.

In an interview, Prince claimed that a team from Blackwater had evacuated then-US senators Joe Biden, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel from the Taliban’s stronghold, in Afghanistan, in 2008. However, all these people denied the claims and credited the US army for this, Prince claimed in the interview. Blackwater, a contracted military service provider, has been in trouble due to its operations in Iraq and Libya in the past. Moreover, the company is now facing a legal action.