Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Afghans are not allowed in
Taliban help with airport security
The situation at Kabul Airport appears to have calmed down. For now. This is also due to the Taliban, with whom one works, says the British army chief. But reporters paint a different picture. Clean-up work in the civilian part of the airport is encouraging.
After the radical Islamic Taliban actually took over power, hundreds of people are still waiting around the airport in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. This is what eyewitnesses report. Children, women and men are therefore in the immediate vicinity of the airport premises. Many have also stayed there, it is said.
Another eyewitness reports that the north entrance of the airport is currently being controlled by soldiers of the Afghan army in cooperation with French and German forces. They would currently not allow admission, it is said. Even German-Afghans with a German passport would not get through. According to this, the US military decides on the opening and closing of certain entrances depending on the respective situation.
According to the British military, Western troops are also working personally with the Taliban to secure the airport. “It’s a very simple collaboration,” said Army chief Nick Carter the TV broadcaster Sky News. “It’s very quiet at the moment. Even in the city. The Taliban are actually making sure the streets are safe and quiet.”
Departure rumors attract Afghans
Reports from CNN draw a different picture. A reporter from the American television station reports chaotic scenes around the airport. According to this, thousands of people are still trying to penetrate the site. Neither the US armed forces nor the Taliban can or will not say whether they will be allowed to leave or not. According to the reporter, all people at the northern entrances of the airport are currently being turned away.
Rumors have been falsely circulated in the city that anyone who makes it onto the airport site will also be evacuated. Therefore, many people should make their way there. They try to get onto the site via blast protection walls or other ways.
Airport is being cleaned up
Thousands of Afghans are currently trying to leave the country for fear of the Taliban. However, the airport is only operational to a limited extent. Numerous Western countries such as Germany, France and the USA are currently trying to get their citizens and local employees out of the country and to safety. Another Bundeswehr plane landed in Kabul at noon and took off with about 180 people on board towards Uzbekistan.
It is unclear whether there could be commercial flights in addition to military evacuation flights. The civil aviation authority has on Facebook several photos publishedshowing how the civilian part of the airport is being tidied up. Commercial flights have not yet started again, it is said. When these start again, only people with passports, valid visas and tickets should come to the airport. Anyone who has worked for the foreign armed forces or for embassies will be contacted. Then you get to the machines via the military part of the airport through a special gate.
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