Evacuation chaos gripping Afghanistan a week after Taliban takeover

The United States and Germany have advised their nationals in Afghanistan to avoid traveling to the Kabul airport as chaos and insecurity persist in the capital with Afghans still scrambling to catch evacuation flights out of the country a week after the Taliban swept to power following a lightning military blitz.

According to Press TV, the two countries cited “security risks” outside the Kabul airport gates as the reason for issuing the warning on Saturday.

Thousands of desperate people have gathered at the airport for the past week, hindering operations by the United States and European countries attempting to evacuate their diplomats and citizens as well as Afghans who worked for NATO forces.

“Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a US government representative to do so,” a US Embassy advisory said.

The German embassy also warned its nationals in an email that Taliban forces were conducting increasingly strict controls in its immediate vicinity.         

The Taliban have called on individuals without travel documents to go home.  At least 12 people have been killed in and around the single runway airfield since Sunday when the militants seized control of Afghanistan.

Taliban officials said the group was “aiming to improve the situation and provide a smooth exit” for people trying to leave over the weekend.

The administration of US President Joe Biden said it has over the past week evacuated 17,000 people, including 2,500 Americans, from Kabul.

ME