Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vgo9ev78y6n52wp/VRP54777.mp4?dl=0
Hundreds of Afghan women gathered at an airport in Kabul today while Taliban soldiers patrolled the perimeter.
Chaos and fear descended once again at the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) on August 19 with locals swarming the terminal to try and flee from the Taliban regime.
Footage shows Taliban guards, armed with whips and firearms, corraling terrified citizens while they wait under the harsh sun.
While U.S. forces are in control of the military side of the airport, Taliban fighters have stationed themselves in the surrounding area, reportedly putting up checkpoints and hampering attempts to reach the HKIA.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said more than 3,000 people have been evacuated from the airport. Meanwhile, Pentagon officials said about 6,000 American troops are expected to be at the airport to assist with security.
Taliban forces seized Kabul on August 15, settling into the presidential palace after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
A Taliban spokesman said the war was ‘over’ and that the militants have accomplished their objective or retaking the Middle East country following two decades of western occupation started by former leaders George Bush and Tony Blair.
Mohammad Naeem said: ‘We have reached what we were seeking, which is the freedom of our country and the independence of our people. We will not allow anyone to use our lands to target anyone, and we do not want to harm others.’
The U.S. State Department said there has been no formal transfer of power from the Afghan government to the Taliban, but declined to say if Ghani was still recognised as Afghanistan’s president.