Western nations yesterday told their citizens to immediately leave the area surrounding the Kabul airport over a terrorist threat, as thousands of people try to reach a dwindling number of evacuation flights.
Nearly 90,000 Afghans and foreigners have fled Afghanistan via the US-led airlift since the Taliban took control of the country on Aug. 15.
Huge crowds have gathered in and around Hamid Karzai International Airport, making the situation increasingly desperate as some foreign nations cease flights ahead of US President Joe Biden’s deadline on Tuesday next week to end evacuations and withdraw US troops overseeing it.
Photo: AFP
One reason for the hard deadline cited by Biden and his aides this week was an “acute” terrorist threat from the regional chapter of the Islamic State (IS) group.
Yesterday, the US government and its allies raised the alarm again with coordinated advisories for their citizens to avoid the airport.
“Those at the Abbey Gate, East Gate or North Gate now should leave immediately,” the US Department of State said, citing unspecified “security threats.”
The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that there was an “ongoing and very high threat of terrorist attack.”
“Do not travel to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport. If you’re in the area of the airport, move to a safe location and await further advice,” the ministry said.
London issued a similar warning, adding: “If you can leave Afghanistan safely by other means, you should do so immediately.”
The Islamic State’s Afghanistan-Pakistan chapter has claimed responsibility for some of the deadliest attacks in those countries over the past few years.
It has massacred civilians in the two countries, at mosques, shrines, public squares and even hospitals.
The group has especially targeted Muslims from sects that it considers heretical.
However, while the Islamic State and the Taliban are Sunni Islamist militants, they are rivals and oppose each other.
The Taliban have promised a softer brand of rule than before, which ended in 2001 when the US invaded because they gave sanctuary to al-Qaeda.
However, many Afghans fear a repeat of their brutal interpretation of Shariah law, as well as violent retribution for working with foreign militaries, Western missions or the previous US-backed government.
On Wednesday, Belgium said that it was ending evacuations after its military planes airlifted about 1,100 people, including Europeans and Afghans.
France had said that it would end its flights yesterday.
The Pentagon, which is managing all Kabul airport operations, has said that it needs to wind down evacuations several days before the deadline to allow time to remove its own 6,000-plus force and hundreds of US officials.
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