US troops fired shots into the air and all commercial flights were cancelled at Kabul airport Monday, as the crowds gathered en masse. Dramatic footage posted on social media showed a scene of chaos on the runway, with civilians frantically clambering up an already overcrowded and buckling set of airstairs.
It was a desperate bid to board a parked passenger plane and escape the city – a day after the government’s collapse.
As a crowd of hundreds watched on, those who successfully climbed the stairs helped others up, while some hung from the stair railings by their hands. Panicked families trying to flee the capital carried overpacked luggage, with frightened children in tow. US troops were forced to fire into the air to restore order – and all commercial flights were cancelled.
Afghanistan falls to the Taliban – as the blame game begins
Some 20 years after being removed from government by international forces, the Taliban has regained power within the space of a month. US troops and other armies have withdrawn their presence in Afghanistan, but failed to secure a peaceful path forward for the nation. Now, uncertainty and fear rule the streets of Kabul.
Former US President Donald Trump has described the scenes as ‘one of the worst military defeats in American history’. Trump, however, stands accused of facilitating the collapse himself , after he negotiated a questionable deal with the Taliban during his controversial single term in office.
