Thousands of people are fleeing Kabul in large numbers after the Taliban captured Afghanistan. According to international news agency AFP, a crowd of thousands reached Kabul airport this morning and US troops had to fire in the air several times to keep them away.
There are also reports of five people dying at the airport, though it is not yet clear how they died.
Poignant photos coming from Kabul airport
The Taliban captured Kabul yesterday and since then foreign and Afghan nationals have been trying to flee the city.
Thousands of people have also reached the airport in the hope of leaving the city and there is a struggle among the people to board the airplanes. Pictures and videos coming out of the airport are telling a very poignant story.
Twitter posts
Firing at Kabul Airport
Another day begins in Kabul, a sea of people rushing into the Kabul airport terminal. #AFG pic.twitter.com/UekpGJ2MWd
— Jawad Sukhanyar (@JawadSukhanyar) August 16, 2021
Afghans struggling to get into plane
The sheer helplessness at Kabul airport. It’s heartbreaking! #KabulHasFallen pic.twitter.com/brA3WRdPp8
— Ahmer Khan (@ahmermkhan) August 16, 2021
US and other countries engaged in evacuating their citizens from Kabul
Countries like the US, UK, and France are operating special flights to evacuate their citizens from Kabul. India is also engaged in evacuating its citizens from Afghanistan through Air India fly-ins.
Many Afghan nationals have also appealed to the US and other countries to grant them asylum and say the Taliban could target them if they stay in Afghanistan.
Taliban now occupy Afghanistan, President leaves the country
It may be recalled that with the capture of Kabul, the whole of Afghanistan has been captured by the Taliban. The Taliban has declared an end to the war in the country saying it will soon inform about the country’s new regime.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Vice President Amirullah Saleh left the country on Sunday and have taken shelter in a neighboring country. He is accompanied by his family and close associates.
Several Afghan MPs take refuge in India
Several Afghan MPs have taken refuge in India and arrived in Delhi on an Air India flight on Sunday night.
Among them are Wahidullah Kalimajai, MP from Wardak, Aziz Hakimi, MP from Parwan, Abdul Qadir Jajai, cousin of former President Hamid Karzai and former MP Jamil Karzai, MP from Baghlan, Thank you Isakhail, former Finance Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal, brother of former Vice President Yunus, Mohmmad Sharif Sharifi, etc.
US criticized for leaving Afghanistan in civil war situation
Serious questions are being raised over the US, which came to Afghanistan 20 years ago after the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York, to Afghanistan, leaving its ally in a civil war.
The United States has announced the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan by August 31 and has not changed its decision despite the Taliban’s growing moves. President Joe Biden has been sharply criticized for this.