Chaos in Kabul as people want to flee country; US forces help resume operations at the Airport

DNA/News Desk

KABUL: At least five people were killed in Kabul airport as hundreds of people tried to forcibly enter planes leaving the Afghan capital, witnesses said.

One witness said he had seen the bodies of five people being taken to a vehicle. Another witness said it was not clear whether the victims were killed by gunshots or in a stampede. U.S. troops, who are in charge of the airport, earlier fired in the air to scatter the crowd, a U.S. official said. Officials were not immediately available to comment on the deaths. Later, all military and civilian flights had been halted at the Kabul airport because of the crowds of civilians who have surged out onto the runways, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Monday.

“US military forces are on the scene working alongside Turkish and other international troops to clear the area of people. We do not know how long this will take,” Kirby said.