Chaos at Kabul airport after killing of 5 people

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ISLAMABAD, Aug 16 (KUNA) -- At least five people were killed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan's capital city as hundreds of people tried to forcibly enter planes to leave Afghanistan after the Taliban took over Kabul.
The Taliban are now in control of every checkpoint outside Kabul airport and have set up additional checkpoints. Meanwhile, many nations were scrambling to evacuate their diplomats, citizens and some local Afghan staff. Thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals have gathered at Kabul airport trying to fly out the country due to security issues.
According to local Afghan media Tolo news, gunfire by the security forces were at Kabul airport and reportedly the shots were fired at a crowd seeking to board aircrafts. It was not yet confirmed whether the five people were killed in stampedes or by gunfire. All commercial flights were suspended at Hamid Karzai International Airport, a statement by the Kabul airport authority said on Monday. The statement urged the public not to crowd the airport.
Moreover, Taliban fighters in Kabul started collecting weapons from civilians because people "no longer need them for personal protection," media quoted Taliban as saying. Albania and Kosovo have accepted a US request to temporarily take in Afghan refugees seeking visas to enter the US. Foreign embassies warned their nationals and Afghan citizens it was not safe to travel to the airport, and only to go there if instructed. Embassy staff are being taken by helicopters to the military side of the airport, which has been secured by US soldiers. (end)
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