ANGER OVER STRANDED AMERICANS IN IRAQ EVACUATED BY BRITISH RAF TO AKROTIRI - KNews 14/3
British forces stepped in to airlift U.S. personnel as questions emerged over evacuation coordination
A group of American diplomats and intelligence personnel were evacuated from northern Iraq by the British Royal Air Force after being left waiting for hours without a confirmed extraction plan during escalating regional tensions.
According to reports, U.S. State Department staff, contractors, and intelligence officers were transported from the American consulate in Erbil to the airport as missile and drone threats linked to Iran intensified. They were told to expect evacuation flights, but none arrived.
After waiting on the tarmac, the group reportedly turned to nearby British military personnel, who agreed to help. The Americans were then flown to Cyprus aboard an RAF A400M military transport aircraft operating in the region.
Sources familiar with the situation said frustration grew among those stranded, with some describing the experience as being “abandoned twice," first in Iraq and later facing uncertainty about onward travel after arriving at a British base in Cyprus.
British officials confirmed the RAF flight, describing it as a routine operation that transported U.S. consulate staff and contractors at their request.
The episode unfolded as security risks across the Middle East continue to rise amid missile and drone attacks tied to the wider regional conflict.
U.S. officials strongly rejected claims that American personnel had been abandoned.
In a statement, a State Department spokesperson said “the characterization of the United States abandoning its people is false,” stressing that the safety of U.S. personnel remains the government’s highest priority.
The spokesperson said non-emergency U.S. government employees had been ordered to leave Iraq due to threats from Iran and Iran-aligned militias, adding that U.S. missions continue taking all necessary steps to protect diplomatic staff and facilities.
The United States also condemned attacks on diplomatic, military and civilian infrastructure in Iraq, including in the Kurdish region, and called for urgent action to dismantle Iran-aligned militias and prevent further threats to regional stability.
So far, the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus has not issued a comment.
