U.S. Suspends Flights At Kabul Airport After Afghans Swarm Runway, Cling To Departing Planes
"How desperate are some Afghans to flee the Taliban?
As we reported yesterday, people were flooding into the airport to try to escape.
But most civilian planes out were initially filled and then they were shut down when the airport came under fire.
But this morning, it was far worse.
One of the only ways out was the military planes including those of the U.S., getting out its people and allies.
As one U.S. plane appeared to be taking off, people desperately raced alongside it and some sat on the wheel wells, hoping to be able to leave, but then falling off when the plane was in the air.
At least three people fell from the planes, according to reports.
BREAKING NEWS – Locals near Kabul airport claim that three young men who were holding themselves tightly in the tires of an airplane fell on top of people's houses. One of the locals confirmed this and said that the fall of these people made a loud and terrifying noise. pic.twitter.com/BtIovAhoDL
— Aśvaka – آسواکا News Agency (@AsvakaNews) August 16, 2021
Helicopters were needed to help clear the runways for the planes.
There are reports that the U.S. troops had to fire into the air to clear the crowd so the planes could take off.
Lots of bursts of gunfire near Kabul airport this am.
The Taliban have set up many checkpoints in the area.
Reports they are taking potshots at aircraft.
Aggressive posture from Taliban. Chaos
— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) August 16, 2021
Afghans desperate to leave, desperate to flee the Taliban, scaling the walls into Kabul airport this morning. pic.twitter.com/Ebk2bpxj8C
— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) August 16, 2021
According to the Wall Street Journal, at least three people were killed by gunfire Monday morning in chaos at the passenger terminal of Kabul’s international airport, where thousands of Afghans were converging, trying to get out.
This was in a separate area from where the U.S. military was trying to evacuate foreign nationals and allies.
“Witnesses reported seeing the prone, bloodied bodies lying on the ground just outside the terminal building.”
There were other reports that as many as five had died, with speculation that there may have been a stampede as well.
This is just a horror show.
Where’s Joe Biden with his promise that he would take action against the Taliban if they attacked / endangered Americans?
I think all this would qualify.
But he’s AWOL on vacation and may deign to speak to us in a “few days.”
But as we noted, he did seem to find time apparently to expose his CIA people when the White House posted a picture of him having a Zoom meeting with his national security advisers yesterday.
Most of this was preventable with even the least amount of forethought.
But now this is the weakness and the terror that’s being shown to the world.
Here is your Saigon Moment.
https://t.co/2MmSGMKPP6
— Bill Roggio (@billroggio) August 16, 2021
But remember, no mean tweets.
Just complete utter disaster."
