Kabul's international airport has experienced a rush of Afghan citizens, foreign diplomats, and officials as they attempt to flee Afghanistan, which has become overrun by Taliban militants.
Harrowing footage shared on social media shows hundreds, possibly thousands, of people trying to fight their way through the terminal in order to get a place on a flight from the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Unfortunately, for those trying to escape, commercial departures abruptly halted on Sunday, August 15, Sky News reports.
According to the outlet, during the night, a number of explosions could be heard in Kabul - and the sound of gunfire could reportedly be heard at the airport.
The US embassy has since issued a warning "the security situation in Kabul is changing quickly" - and US citizens in Kabul were told to quickly find shelter.
An announcement by the Pentagon revealed that there are plans to deploy an additional 1,000 soldiers in order to assist in evacuation efforts. They will help bring US citizens as well as Afghans who worked for them to safety.
Hamid Karzai International Airport is currently the primary site in which evacuations out of Afghanistan are taking place after the Taliban overran the presidential palace and declared victory.
In a joint statement, the US Department of State and the Department of Defence announced that they were "completing a series of steps" to secure the airport, which will entail taking over air traffic control.
Furthermore, a US official has shared that "the majority of Western diplomatic staff is out of Kabul now".
Over 60 nations have released a joint statement declaring that Afghans and internationals who want to leave Afghanistan must be permitted to do so.
Per CNBC, Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, was forced to flee the country on Sunday evening, and is believed to have headed to Tashkent, as the Taliban breached the presidential palace and declared that the war is "over."
According to the outlet, Ghani said he left in order to prevent "a flood of bloodshed."
"The Taliban have won with the judgment of their swords and guns, and are now responsible for the honor, property, and self-preservation of their countrymen," Ghani said.
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