Today, the Taliban's occupation in Afghanistan ended with gloomy scenes at Kabul's airport. Thousands of Afghans took to the streets to escape the country. According to Reuters, five people were killed at the airport.
According to reports, there was sporadic gunfire from the airport. US troops opened fire earlier in the morning in an attempt disperse crowd. At Kabul airport, several large cargo aircraft belonging to the US Air Force remain parked.
The Afghan airspace was closed. A NOTAM (notice to airmen) has been issued stating that Kabul's airspace is not usable. Sources have confirmed to NDTV that the Air India aircraft, which was meant to fly to Afghanistan to help people, is no longer able to travel there.
Sources say that Air India flights to the US from India have been rerouted as the Afghan airspace is closed. They said that flights AI-126 (Chicago-New Delhi), as well as AI-174 (San Francisco-New Delhi), would have to be re-routed in order to refuel. Air India also plans to develop new routes from India to the US.
Terrorists from the Taliban were seen today walking along the streets in the Green Zone, a district once heavily fortified that is home to most international embassies.
The Taliban wanted to reassure the international community about Afghans not needing to fear them. They also promised not to take revenge on US-backed allies. Abdul Ghani, the Taliban's co-founder and chief executive officer, said that it was time to prove and test their ability to serve their nation and provide security and comfort for all.
However, today's chaos at Kabul Airport clearly shows that many people are worried about their safety in the wake of the Taliban takeover. Ex-soldier, aged 25, said that he fears living in the city as he stood in front of large crowds on the tarmac. "Since my service in the army, I am certain that the Taliban would target me."
Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, asked the Taliban to exercise restraint and stressed that women and girls who had suffered under the Taliban regime should be protected.
In recent days, the US government insisted that its twenty-year-long war in Afghanistan was successful. Its success was defined by eliminating Al-Qaeda. Joe Biden stated that he was determined not to leave American troops behind, and would not "pass on this war" to another President.
After President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. They acknowledged that they had won the twenty-year war. Kabul felt panic and fear after the sudden collapse of the government, with terrorists seizing the Rashtrapati Bhavan.