Kabul airport: Visuals show people falling to death from planes
What's the story
As chaos unfolds at Kabul's airport, shocking visuals of people falling from airplanes taking off have emerged. The visuals highlight desperate attempts by civilians of Afghanistan to escape as the Taliban—which calls itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan—takes hold of the country. Taliban took control of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Sunday, even causing the country's President Ashraf Ghani to flee.
Videos
Visuals show people clinging to planes; falling off after take-off
In one of the videos that has emerged online, people at the Hamid Karzai Airport can be seen clinging to a US Air Force aircraft as it takes off. United States troops are notably managing the airport. Others are seen chasing the aircraft on the runway. In another video, people are seen falling off an aircraft already in the sky, presumably to their deaths.
Ground situation
US troops fired gunshots to disperse crowds
In yet another video, people are seen climbing onto the engine of an aircraft as it readies itself to take to the skies. Reportedly, US troops fired gunshots to disperse the crowd at the airport. Several videos showed gunshots being fired. "The crowd was out of control," a US official had earlier told Reuters telephonically. "The firing was only done to defuse the chaos."
Death
5 people killed at Kabul airport: Report
Earlier in the day, Reuters reported that at least five people were killed at the Kabul airport. The news agency cited eyewitness accounts. A witness had told the news agency that it was unclear whether the people died during a stampede or during firing. Horrific visuals from the scene also showed bodies lying on the ground at the airport.
Context
Afghans fleeing country as Taliban takes charge
Thousands of Afghans are trying to flee after the Taliban stormed the capital Kabul on Sunday. The Taliban had been gaining ground in Afghanistan since the US withdrew its troops. On Sunday, the group seized the Presidential Palace in Kabul, taking control of the capital. President Ashraf Ghani also fled the country on Sunday, saying he did so to prevent a "flood of bloodshed."