Kabul airport chaos stalls evacuations amid criticism of U.S. pullout By Reuters

KABUL (Reuters) -1000’s of civilians determined to flee Afghanistan thronged Kabul airport on Monday after the Taliban seized the capital, prompting the U.S. army to droop evacuations as the US got here below mounting criticism at house over its pullout.

Crowds converged on the airport searching for to flee, together with some clinging to a U.S. army transport aircraft because it taxied on the runway, in line with footage posted by a media firm. 5 individuals had been killed within the chaos.

The Taliban’s speedy conquest of Kabul follows the U.S. withdrawal of troops after 20 years of warfare that value billions of {dollars}.

President Joe Biden defended his determination to drag out, ending the US’ longest warfare, arguing that Afghan forces needed to struggle again towards the Islamist Taliban.

However the pace at which Afghan cities fell in simply days and the doubtless crackdowns on freedom of speech and girls’s rights gained in 20 years have sparked offended criticism.

“If President Biden actually has no regrets about his determination to withdraw, then he’s disconnected from actuality in relation to Afghanistan,” a Twitter submit from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (NYSE:) learn.

Republican Consultant Jim Banks, a member of the Home armed providers committee, stated on Fox Information that Biden ought to clarify his actions to the American individuals.

“What was extra surprising to me than the photographs popping out of Afghanistan is what’s taking place proper right here at house,” he stated.

“Now we have by no means seen an American chief abdicate his obligations and management like Joe Biden has. He is in hiding. The lights are on on the White Home, however no one’s house. The place is Joe Biden?”

Jim Messina, a White Home deputy chief of employees below former President Barack Obama, defended Biden’s transfer.

“There’s been bipartisan consensus that it was time to get out of Afghanistan, Mike Pompeo, the previous Secretary of State, stated earlier this month he supported Biden’s plan, and we have been there 20 years. It is America’s longest-running warfare, it’s time to get out,” he stated on Fox.

“Why ought to American troops be preventing a civil warfare that Afghan troops this week refused to struggle for themselves, it was time to get out.”

AIRPORT CHAOS

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled on Sunday because the Islamist militants entered Kabul nearly unopposed, saying he needed to keep away from bloodshed.

The USA and different international powers have rushed to fly out diplomatic and different employees however the US briefly halted all evacuation flights to clear individuals from the airfield, a U.S. defence official instructed Reuters.

The official, talking on the situation of anonymity, didn’t say how lengthy the pause would final.

It was not instantly clear how the 5 individuals died on the airport. A U.S. official stated troops had fired within the air to discourage individuals attempting to drive their means on to a army flight taking U.S diplomats and embassy employees out of the town.

One witness, ready for a flight out for greater than 20 hours, stated it was unclear if the 5 had been shot or killed in a stampede. U.S. officers on the airport weren’t instantly accessible for remark.

‘NO ONE SHALL BE HARMED’

Suhail Shaheen, a spokesperson for the Taliban, stated in a message on Twitter that their fighters had been below strict orders to not hurt anybody.

“Life, property and honour of nobody shall be harmed however have to be protected by the mujahideen,” he stated.

It took the Taliban simply over every week to grab management of the entire nation after a lightning sweep https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/talibans-rapid-advance-across-afghanistan-2021-08-10 that led to Kabul as authorities forces https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-surge-exposes-failure-us-efforts-build-afghan-army-2021-08-15, skilled for years and outfitted by the US and others at a value of billions of {dollars}, melted away.

U.S. officers had lengthy apprehensive that corruption would undermine the resolve of badly paid, ill-fed and erratically provided front-line troopers.

Al Jazeera broadcast footage of what it stated had been Taliban commanders within the presidential palace with dozens of fighters.

Mohammad Naeem, spokesman for the Taliban’s political workplace, instructed Al Jazeera TV the type of Afghanistan’s new authorities can be made clear quickly. He stated the Taliban didn’t need to stay in isolation and known as for peaceable worldwide relations.

The militants sought to venture a extra average face https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-seek-present-moderate-face-they-take-control-afghanistan-2021-08-15, promising to respect girls’s rights and shield each foreigners and Afghans.

However many Afghans worry the Taliban will return to previous harsh practices. Throughout their 1996-2001 rule, girls couldn’t work and punishments akin to public stoning, whipping and hanging had been administered.

“Everyone seems to be apprehensive,” a former authorities worker now in hiding in Kabul stated. “They don’t seem to be concentrating on individuals but however they’ll, that is the truth. Perhaps in two or three weeks, that is why individuals are preventing to get out now.”

Each the United Nations and the US stated final week they’d obtained stories that Taliban fighters had been executing surrendering authorities troopers.

The Pentagon on Sunday approved one other 1,000 troops to assist evacuate U.S. residents and Afghans who labored for them, increasing its safety presence on the bottom to nearly 6,000 troops.

A U.S. State Division spokesperson stated that each one embassy personnel, together with Ambassador Ross Wilson, had been transferred to Kabul airport.