Chaos At Kabul Airport As Afghans Race To Escape Taliban-Controlled Capital City

The scene in Afghanistan is one of unfolding desperation as the Taliban’s rapid rise to power has meant thousands  rushing to the airport in Kabul seeking a way out. Evacuation flights have resumed at the airport after the U.S. military moved in 6,000 troops to secure the airport and handle air traffic control. Officials say they expect sporadic suspensions of air travel however, because the situation remains chaotic.

This comes after the U.S. on Monday had to suspend evacuation flights due to the unrest, as NBC News’ Richard Engel reported (watch above). Thousands of Afghans swarmed the runway and were clinging to moving airplanes in a last-ditch attempt to escape the capital city.

Witnesses say U.S. troops fired warning shots into the air after people raced onto the tarmac and tried to climb on planes.

The airport is split into two sections, and the civilian side has been shut down until further notice with all commercial flights in and out of Kabul cancelled. Airlines are rerouting flights to avoid Afghan airspace with the uncertainty currently underway.

The immediate issue for the U.S. is how to safely get American citizens and Afghan allies out of the country, after the Western-backed government collapsed almost overnight and gave way to the Taliban seizing power.

The U.S. Embassy has been evacuated and the American flag lowered, and diplomats and staff have been relocated to the airport. Other Western countries have also closed their embassies and begun evacuating their people. Meanwhile, the Taliban has been setting up checkpoints around the city to control who tries to leave Kabul.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CBS News that the military is working to re-establish control over the airfield, while other officials try to determine exactly how many Americans are still in Afghanistan.

“We intend to carry out those evacuation flights after securing the airfield over the coming days,” Sullivan said.

Per CNN, there is such disorganization in Afghanistan at the moment that there is no plan in place yet to help evacuate the Afghan interpreters and other personnel who aided American efforts over the past 20 years. NBC’s Engel reported that there is great anger and frustration among Afghan allies who feel they have been left to “fend on their own” by the U.S. as they prioritize getting American citizens out first.