1 DEAD IN GUNFIRE AT KABUL AIRPORT, TALIBAN MOVE TO CONTROL PANJSHIR
KABUL: A firefight just outside Kabul’s international airport killed at least one Afghan soldier early Monday, German officials said, the latest chaos to engulf efforts to evacuate those fleeing Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. The airport shooting came as the Taliban sent fighters north of the capital to eliminate pockets of armed resistance to their lightning takeover earlier this month.
The Taliban said they retook three districts seized by opponents the day before and had surrounded Panjshir, the last province that remains out of their control where several opponents have gathered, including Amrullah Saleh, the vice president in the toppled government.
Gunfire broke out near an entrance to the Kabul airport, where at least seven Afghans died a day earlier in a panicked stampede. The German military tweeted that one member of the Afghan army was killed and three others were wounded by “unknown attackers”.
The Taliban warned there would be “consequences” if America and its allies extend their presence in Afghanistan beyond August 31, soon after US President Joe Biden said he would not rule out extending the deadline.
KABUL: A firefight outside Kabul’s international airport killed at least one Afghan soldier early on Monday, German officials said, the latest chaos to engulf western efforts to evacuate those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country.
Gunfire broke out near an entrance to the airport, where at least seven Afghans died a day earlier in a panicked stampede of thousands of people. The circumstances of the shooting, which occurred around dawn, remained unclear.
The German military tweeted that one member of the Afghan army was killed and three others were wounded by “unknown attackers”.
Emergency, an Italian humanitarian organisation that operates hospitals in Afghanistan, said it had treated six patients with bullet wounds from the airport, none of whom were in lifethreatening condition.
The US military and Nato did not immediately acknowledge the shooting. There was no comment from the Taliban.
The tragic scenes around the airport have transfixed the world. Afghans poured onto the tarmac last week and some clung to a US military transport plane as it took off, later plunging to their deaths. At least seven people died that day, in addition to the seven killed on Sunday.
The Taliban blame the chaotic evacuation on the US military and say there’s no need for any Afghans to flee.
They have pledged to bring peace and security after decades of war and say they won’t seek revenge on those who worked with the US, Nato and the toppled Afghan government.
But their fighters have violently suppressed protests and beat people with batons as they try to control the crowds outside the airport perimeter.
German defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told the Bild newspaper that the main obstacle to getting people out was the crowds outside the airport.
Asked about Taliban assurances of safe passage to the airport she said: “So far, I can say that what we need is being granted; the danger comes more from these uncontrollable crowds of people.”