Afghanistan’s international airport has been overrun by desperate Afghans seeking to escape Taliban rule, leading to several deaths as US marines sought to hold back the crowds after the Islamist militants took over Kabul.
A foreign official monitoring evacuation flights from the city said US marines had fired shots, while other Afghans fell to their deaths after clinging to the wheels of planes that were taking off. At least five people were reported to have died.
Images from the airport showed US gunships buzzing groups gathered on the runway to enable military planes filled with US and foreign nationals to take off. Kabul’s airport, which had operated normally until Monday, is now closed to civilian flights.