AN Afghan news channel shared footage of citizens running alongside and climbing up a US military aircraft as it attempted to depart from Kabul Airport.
According to some reports, some people clung on to the underside of the plane as it departed.
Journalists at the airport described scenes "descending into absolute chaos" and reported that five people had died.
Flights have now been paused, according to the German foreign ministry. "I understand there is no air traffic at the moment because a large number of desperate people are crowding the tarmac," a spokesperson in Berlin said.
Many Afghans are trying to flee the country as the Taliban has taken over, with President Ashraf Ghani already in Uzbekistan, according to reports.
The Taliban took the capital city yesterday and seized the presidential palace.
The Taliban insisted that they were seeking a peaceful takeover of power and were prepared to offer an amnesty to those who had worked with the Afghan government or with foreign governments.
However those assurances were being treated with deep scepticism by many British MPs amid reports of threats to those who remain and their families.
The UK Government is attempting to return its citizens – with 4000 of them thought to be in Afghanistan - but an emotional Defence Secretary admitted this morning that “some people won’t get back”.
The former solider told LBC: “It’s a really deep part of regret for me … look, some people won’t get back. Some people won’t get back and we will have to do our best in third countries to process those people.”
After the Taliban seized Kabul, many Afghans headed for the airport but found commercial flights had mostly been suspended. Chaotic scenes from last night and this morning showed people desperately trying to board aircraft to get out of the country.
READ MORE: Kabul airport: Thousands try to flee as Taliban take control of Afghanistan
US troops are now securing the airport, the BBC reported.
Rakhshanda Jilali, a human rights campaigner who is trying to leave the country, told Reuters: "How can [the Americans] hold the airport and dictate terms and conditions to Afghans?"
"This is our airport but we are seeing diplomats being evacuated while we wait in complete uncertainty.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has vowed that Scotland will “play our full part and do all we can to help those in peril”.
Meanwhile, former national security adviser Lord Sedwill has said Taliban control of Afghanistan is a “humiliating moment for the West”,
The crossbench peer and former cabinet secretary warned that “extremists everywhere will be emboldened”, following the dramatic fall of the country’s Western-backed government.
The former Nato senior civilian representative in Afghanistan and ex-UK ambassador to Afghanistan told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We must be clear about this, this is a humiliating moment for the West.
“Afghan citizens are fearful, extremists everywhere will be emboldened. They’ve been quieter since the end of the Islamic State, they will be emboldened and of course our authoritarian opponents will undoubtedly be saying already that they have the strategic patience that we lack, so it’s a very bad day.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel