Afghanistan: Taliban Urge People To Leave Kabul Airport After 12 Are Killed
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The Taliban has urged people to leave Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul following the deaths of 12 people since Sunday, August 15.
Thousands of Afghans fled their homes and travelled to the airport in a bid to escape life under Taliban rule after militants took over Afghanistan’s presidential palace, leading to chaos in the building and on the runways.
Eye-opening footage shows hundreds of desperate people waiting to board planes, with some going as far as to cling to the aircraft ahead of takeoff.
The efforts led some people to fall to their deaths while others have lost their lives either by gunshots or in stampedes, according to Taliban and NATO officials.
In an apparent bid to prevent further deaths, the Taliban has now urged people still crowded at the gates of the facility to go home if they don’t have the legal right to travel.
An official cited by Reuters stated: ‘We don’t want to hurt anyone at the airport.’
Evacuation efforts continue out of Afghanistan, with countries across the globe coming together to aid those looking to escape.
Though the airport itself remains under control by around 4,500 US soldiers, the Taliban has reportedly been making it difficult for anyone still trying to escape to make it to the terminals.
The insurgents control all roads leading to the airport, with soldiers utilising their power to check the documents of those attempting to pass through.
BBC News reports the Taliban is in particular preventing Afghans who do not have travel documents from reaching the airport, though it’s been reported those with valid documents are also having trouble.
Witnesses have shared reports of armed members of the Taliban surrounding the airport to prevent people from getting into the site.
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