Chaos continues at Kabul Airport and its surroundings, with hundreds of Afghans sleeping on the ground, clinging to the hope of leaving the country after the Taliban took control. The movement has called on the crowd to leave, especially those without official documents allowing them to travel to the United States or other countries. Taliban and NATO officials announced today, Thursday, that 12 people have died at the airport and surrounding areas since the group took control of the city on Sunday, prompting thousands of frightened individuals to rush to leave.
A Taliban official stated that the deaths were caused by either gunfire or stampedes, and urged those gathered at the airport gates to return home if they do not have the legal right to travel. He emphasized, according to Reuters, the group's desire not to harm anyone at the airport, saying, "We do not want to harm anyone at the airport." Since last Sunday, thousands of Afghans have flocked to the capital's airport in an attempt to escape, fearing potential abuses by the Taliban, which has taken control of Kabul and much of the country.
U.S. forces have evacuated hundreds via military aircraft, including U.S. soldiers and Afghan citizens who assisted them over the years, fearing for their safety amid possible retaliatory attacks. A White House official announced late Wednesday that U.S. military forces had evacuated nearly 1,800 individuals on ten C-17 planes in the past 24 hours, and since August 14, they have transported around six thousand people. Afghanistan has been experiencing chaos and instability since the beginning of this week following the Taliban's takeover of the capital and the flight of President Ashraf Ghani, while the international community awaits the group's next steps.
