Out of Afghanistan
On Sunday as the Taliban took over Kabul, the capital, the US state department announced that all US embassy staff had been evacuated to Hamid Karzal International Airport which was under US military control.
People are scared and think things could go wrong at any moment.
The face-covering was mandatory for all women under Taliban rule during the 1990s, and those who were seen to be improperly dressed could be whipped. Girls were also prevented from going to school and women were only allowed to leave their homes in the presence of close male relative.
An Air India flight , a 160-seater Airbus 320, commanded by Captain Adithya Chopra carrying 40 passengers all Afghans from Delhi approached Kabul airport on Sunday afternoon, air traffic control cleared it for landing. The six-member crew was unaware of what is happening on the ground. Taliban fighters were seizing Kabul after the government in Afghanistan collapsed, bringing swift end to 20 years of US-led coalition’s presence in the country. The plane finally landed around 15:30 Kabul time.
There were soldiers skirting the runways and also roar of air activity C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft and Chinook helicopters were flying in and out.
There were other civilian aircrafts belonging to Pakistan and Qatar parked on the tarmac. The Air India plane after waiting more than an hour and half on the tarmac, took off with 129 passengers , including two MPs, Afghan officials and a senior advisor to the former president and several returning Indian workers.
Even as the pilot was preparing for landing air traffic controllers told them to hold in the air for the next 90 minutes, circling at an altitude of 16000ft (5000m), without giving any reasons. There were two other foreign airlines circling in the air above Kabul awaiting clearance to land.
An Indian aircraft carrying the ambassador and other diplomatic personnel has now landed in India’s western state of Gujarat hours after it took off from Kabul.
The German defence ministry had said their A400M plane could not land due to the large number of people on the runway and that it had to make its way to a third country to refuel.
At least five people were reportedly killed at the airport on Monday as thousands tried to flee.
Military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians have re-started at Kabul’s airport.
US President Joe Bidden defends his decision to pull out of Afghanistan, although admits even developed quicker than he thought and solely blames Afghan leaders for the collapse.