Afghans scramble to get on an airbridge at Kabul airport<\/p>\n
At least five people have been killed at Kabul airport as thousands of people tried desperately to get on flights out of Afghanistan amid increasingly chaotic scenes.<\/p>\n
US troops fired shots in the air at Hama Karzai airport to prevent hundreds of civilians running onto the tarmac after they took over Afghanistan’s air traffic control.\u00a0Witnesses said it was not clear whether the victims were killed by gunshots or in a stampede.<\/p>\n
Panicked Afghans were also seen climbing up the outside of an airbridge in a bid to get onboard planes.<\/p>\n
All commercial services have been suspended, with only military flights leaving the country as the UK, US and other western countries repatriate their citizens.<\/p>\n
The Taliban swept into the capital on Sunday after the Western-backed government collapsed and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, bringing a stunning end to a two-decade campaign in which the US and its allies had tried to transform the country.<\/p>\n
The US Embassy has been evacuated and the American flag lowered, with diplomats relocating to the airport in scenes reminiscent of the evacuation of the embassy of Saigon in 1975.\u00a0Other Western countries have also closed their missions and are flying out staff and civilians.<\/p>\n
Almost all major checkpoints in Kabul were under Taliban control by Monday morning and\u00a0Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority issued an advisory saying the ‘civilian side’ of the airport had been ‘closed until further notice’ and that the military controlled the airspace.<\/p>\n
Taliban officials said everyone would be allowed to return home from Kabul airport if they decide to stay in the country and promised civilians would not be harmed. The group previously said westerners would be allowed to leave the country but that Afghans would be barred from departing.<\/p>\n
US troops are guarding the airport and have taken over air traffic control, but all non-military flights are grounded.\u00a0Early Monday morning, flight-tracking data showed no immediate commercial flights over the country.<\/p>\n
Video posted social media showed hundreds of people scampering with their luggage toward the safety of the airport terminal with the sound of gunfire breaking out.<\/p>\n