At least 20 people died in, around Kabul airport in past seven days: NATO

At least 20 people have died in the past seven days in and around the Kabul airport during the evacuation effort after the Taliban took over the Afghan capital last week, a NATO official said on Sunday.

“The crisis outside the Kabul airport is unfortunate. Our focus is to evacuate all foreigners as soon as we can,” the official, who sought anonymity, told Reuters.

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World News US to blame for chaos at Kabul airport as hundreds attempt to flee: Taliban official

Crowds have grown at the airport every day over the past week, hindering operations as the US and other nations attempt to evacuate thousands of their diplomats and civilians as well as numerous Afghans.

“Our forces are maintaining strict distance from outer areas of the Kabul airport to prevent any clashes with the Taliban,” the NATO official added.

The Taliban’s swift takeover has sparked fear of reprisals and a return to the harsh version of Islamic law the extremist group exercised when it was in power two decades ago.

Afghan people gather along a road as they wait to board a US military aircraft to leave the country, at a military airport in Kabul on August 20, 2021 days after Taliban’s military takeover of Afghanistan. (File photo: AFP)

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