US Embassy tells Americans NOT to go to Kabul airport after ISIS threaten to attack: Warning comes as Pentagon AGAIN contradicts Biden's claim there's 'no indication' the Taliban is stopping citizens

The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport because of 'security threats' outside its gates - reportedly coming from ISIS - a day after President Joe Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home.

U.S. officials said the most serious threat to the airport is Afghanistan’s branch of the Islamic State, which would hurt Americans in the country and challenge the Taliban's control, The New York Times and Associated Press reported.

'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby sidestepped multiple questions about potential ISIS attacks or its involvement multiple times during Saturday afternoon's press briefing.

Both Kirby and Major Gen. William 'Hank' Taylor seemed genuinely baffled and unaware of the Embassy's warning during Saturday's press briefing.

As the U.S. and other world powers continue to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the Kabul airport, the situation has turned deadly.

Since Sunday, at least 12 people have been killed in and around the single runway airfield - which is the only way out of the country - NATO and Taliban officials told Reuters.

Desperation mixed with 90-degree heat, dust, dehydration and starvation over the last week have made the scene at the gates as perilous a situation for families and children, who are crammed shoulder to shoulder and pressed against concrete blast walls as they plead for their families to be allowed to leave.

The Taliban have urged those without travel documents to go home.

The US Embassy's warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

It was the first time Biden took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - in nine days since the chaos started unfolding in Afghanistan.

'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech that he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers.

US soldiers stand guard behind barbed wire as Afghans sit on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on August 20

The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home

Over the past week, the U.S. evacuated 17,000 people - including 2,500 Americans - from Kabul, Major Gen. Taylor said during Saturday afternoon's press conference.

About 3,800 people were evacuated on Friday after six U.S. Air Force transport planes with about 1,600 people were able to leave Kabul on Friday plus about 32 charter planes, Taylor said during Saturday's briefing.

On Friday, The president made a promise to 'mobilize every force necessary' despite admitting he doesn't know how many Americans were left and he 'cannot promise what the final outcome will be'.

That number still eludes officials Saturday afternoon. Kirby said they don't have a 'perfect figure' of how many US citizens are still in the Afghanistan.

A State Department spokesperson said there are about 5,000 to 10,000 US citizens still in the country.

When asked if the window to evacuate is closing, Kirby said, 'We know we're fighting against time and space. That's the race we're in.'

'Things are changing almost by the hour. It's a very fluid and dynamic situation,' he said.

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Tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan are waiting to see if Biden will deliver on his promise with the August 31 troop withdrawal deadline fast approaching

U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, provide assistance during an evacuation of Kabul airport

During the president's Friday speech, he said allies around the world have not questioned US credibility over the chaotic Kabul evacuation, insisted Al Qaeda is gone from Afghanistan and claimed there has been 'no indication' the Taliban has blocked Americans from reaching the airport.

Minutes after, Biden said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport.

He was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon shortly after the speech.

Yes, Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, Kirby said during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The contradiction raises further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home.

Over the last 12 hours, videos started emerging showing the pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport.

Kabul airport is the only way out of the country after the Taliban started seizing the country's major cities.

Abdul Ghani Baradar - one of the Taliban’s top leaders who negotiated the exit of US troops with former President Donald Trump in Qatar - arrived in Kabul on Saturday, marking another milestone in the Taliban's assertation over the country.

The world's eyes are on him as he leads discussions with other Taliban leaders who will construct the framework for how they govern the country over the next week few weeks.

It's a stark difference to the shadowy presence they maintained for years pre-9/11 when they ruled by harsh, draconian Sunni law.

A Taliban official told Reuters that the framework 'will protect everyone's rights' but would not be a democracy by Western standards.

Pentagon contradicts Biden MINUTES after his fumbling speech by saying Americans HAVE been attacked by the Taliban on the way to Kabul airport and al-Qaeda IS still operating in Afghanistan

Minutes after President Biden on Friday said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon.

Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home.

He cancelled plans to return home to Wilmington on Friday evening as officials scrambled to give off an air of urgency.

He even answered questions about Afghanistan for the first time in 10 days after delivering a speech in the East Room of the White House.

Would he send troops out of their base in Hamid Karzai International Airport to help stranded Americans reach safety, he was asked.

'We have no indication that they haven't been able to get in Kabul through the airport,' he said.

'We've made an agreement with the Taliban thus far, they've allowed them to go through, it's in their interest for them to through.'

But a different view emerged in reports of a briefing call that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held with lawmakers, telling them that Americans had been beaten as they tried to reach the airport.

And officials at the Pentagon confirmed they were aware of Americans reporting being attacked.

'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 and - by and large - that's happening,' said Kirby.

The gaffe followed a difficult week for the White House. Biden has been under intense pressure for holing up at Camp David at the weekend and staying largely out of sight during the week.

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick. Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o

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