Chaos at the Kabul International Airport as evacuations continue!
On the 15th of August, the Taliban entered into the city limits of Kabul, marking the capture of every major city and province in Afghanistan. The international community has made efforts to evacuate their foreign nationals and personnel working in the country, but many are still unsure on how to address the Afghans who worked alongside them, some for nearly two decades.
Today, the 16th of August, thousands of Afghans are outside the airport in Kabul, attempting to flee the country. Some are without passports, and many are trying to apply for visas in order to leave the country, but there are simply not enough aircrafts to evacuate the civilians. Many, completely desperate, are now trapped in the airport, as the Taliban has set up checkpoints near and around the area. Shots are being fired and thus far five have been reported dead at the Kabul airport. Those who are attempting to flee largely consist of those who aided the international community in their efforts to fight the Taliban, whether as translators, drivers, or local bureaucrats.
The situation on the ground is grave. The rate at which the Taliban entered into the capital and took over the country could not have been stopped, despite the extensive training of the Afghan national forces.
BIC’s Middle East Analyst Elisa Cherry noted:
“The important thing is not who is to blame for this disaster. Thousands of Afghans’ lives are at risk and the international community bears responsibility to ensure the safety of those who supported their efforts over the last two decades. The situation at the Kabul airport demonstrates the chaos and fear of those who collaborated with foreign governments, as well as the lack of preparation for such a rapid takeover by the Taliban.”
Now, as many unknowns remain, the international community must step up to ensure safety for all of their partners, particularly the Afghan nationals that remain trapped in the country, or at the Kabul airport. The BIC will continue to closely follow the situation in Afghanistan as it unfolds.