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- Desperate refugees cling to planes as they take off
- 抖阴短视频 urges militants to 鈥榩rotect life, property鈥�
KABUL: At least seven people died amid scenes of mayhem at Kabul airport on Monday as thousands of civilians tried to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
Among the dead were people who clung on to a US Air Force C-17 transport plane as it taxied across the runway, and who plunged to the ground after the aircraft took off.
A man pulls a girl to get inside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. (Reuters)
US troops fired warning shots into the air as hundreds of people ran across the tarmac toward planes. A crowd pushed and shoved their way up a mobile staircase in a desperate attempt to board an aircraft, with some people hanging off the railings.
Western countries have rushed to fly out diplomatic and other staff, but there was anger in the airport when the US halted evacuation flights to clear people from the tarmac. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said US forces were working with international troops to clear the airport and enable evacuation flights to resume. He said several hundred people had been flown out so far.
A volunteer carries an injured man as other people can be seen waiting at the Kabul airport. (AFP)
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of another battalion to Kabul that would bring the number of US troops guarding the evacuation to about 6,000.
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Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said its fighters were under strict orders not to harm anyone.
鈥淭he life, property and honor of no one shall be harmed but must be protected by the mujahideen,鈥� he said.
Afghan passengers sit inside a plane as they wait to leave the Kabul airport. (AFP)
Mohammad Naeem, spokesman for the Taliban鈥檚 political office, said the form of Afghanistan鈥檚 new government would be made clear soon.
He said the Taliban did not want to live in isolation and called for peaceful international relations.
抖阴短视频 urged the Taliban to abide by 鈥淚slamic principles.鈥� The Foreign Ministry said: 鈥淭he Kingdom stands with the choices that the Afghan people make without interference. 抖阴短视频 hopes that the Taliban movement and all Afghan parties will work to preserve security, stability, lives and property.鈥�
Afghan people sit as they wait to leave the Kabul airport. (AFP)
However, many Afghans fear the Taliban will return to past harsh practices. 鈥淓veryone is worried,鈥� said a former government employee in hiding in Kabul. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not targeting people yet but they will, that鈥檚 the reality. Maybe in two or three weeks, that鈥檚 why people are fighting to get out now.鈥�
The speed at which the Taliban took control has provoked widespread criticism of US President Joe Biden for setting a date for withdrawing US forces.
Afghan passengers sit as they wait to leave the Kabul airport in Kabul. (AFP)
鈥淚f President Biden truly has no regrets about his decision, then he is disconnected from reality when it comes to Afghanistan,鈥� Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said.
Republican Representative Jim Banks said: 鈥淲e have never seen an American leader abdicate his responsibilities and leadership like Joe Biden has. He鈥檚 in hiding. The lights are on at the White House, but nobody鈥檚 home. Where is Joe Biden?鈥�
However, Biden was defended by Jim Messina, a White House deputy chief of staff under Barack Obama.鈥淲e鈥檝e been there 20 years. It鈥檚 America鈥檚 longest-running war, it is time to get out,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hy should American troops be fighting a civil war that Afghan troops this week refused to fight for themselves? It was time to get out.鈥�