Afghanistan: Heartbreaking moments from Taliban takeover

The world watched on as disaster unfolded on the streets of Kabul and the Taliban took control. WARNING: GRAPHIC

The Taliban’s lightning takeover of Kabul within days of America’s withdrawal handed over full control of the country to the extremist regime for the first time in two decades.

Shocking footage showed the country’s new reality under strict Islamic law. In scenes reminiscent of the fall of Saigon, desperate Afghans attempted to flee on the last planes out of Kabul.

Children were beaten in the streets, girls reached through iron bars pleading for escape, and men held onto an evacuating plane’s landing gear before falling to their death.

After the US airlifted personnel from the roof of the embassy to safety, the Taliban promised an inclusive government in one breath, while laughing at the idea of women politicians in another.

PEOPLE FALL TO DEATH MID-AIR

The most shocking images to emerge from Kabul are of men falling to their death from a US Air Force C-17 transport plane as it took off from the city’s airport.

The desperate civilians attempting to escape the Taliban, barely small dots seen against the blue sky, were compared to footage of Americans jumping from the Twin Towers attempting to escape the burning building during the September 11 terror attacks.

AFGHANS CLING TO PLANE IN KABUL ESCAPE ATTEMPT

Moments before take off, crowds of Afghans ran alongside the plane in a last-ditch attempt to either get the pilot’s attention, stop the plane or hitch a ride on the landing gear.

The Afghans were also seen swarming the plane’s airbridge trying to board before it taxied to the runway.

CROWD RUSHES KABUL AIRPORT AMID GUNFIRE

The horrific scenes on the runway were preceded by hundreds of Afghans blowing through the airport’s security as gunfire echoed in the background.

The breakdown in order at the airport came before the US sent more soldiers back to Afghanistan to reclaim control of the Hamid Karzai International Airport. At least 17 people were killed in the stampede, according to a NATO official.

DESPERATE AFGHANS UNABLE TO ESCAPE AT KABUL AIRPORT

While some Afghans made their way into the airport amid the chaos, thousands more were left outside in the no man’s land between the reclaimed perimeters of the airport controlled by allied forces and Taliban checkpoints just streets away.

Afghan women were seen in video footage reaching through iron gates to US soldiers to let them in before they were turned away. “The Taliban’s coming for me,” one screams.

YOUNG CHILD HOISTED OVER WALL AMID CHAOS AT KABUL AIRPORT

With gates into the airport closed and stampedes of crowds crushing forward, Afghans pleaded with soldiers to pull them over the walls.

A small child raised by an Afghan is grabbed by a soldier and pulled over the wall.

SOLDIERS HELP WOMAN OVER WALL AT KABUL AIRPORT

While foreigners were being let through Taliban checkpoints to reach the airport for evacuation, locals were given no such courtesy.

One woman who made on the other side of the Taliban’s checkpoints is helped over the airport wall by an allied soldier.

TALIBAN PARADE MAN THROUGH STREETS

In the streets surrounding the airport, a young boy covered in blood was carried away from the airport as the Taliban used whips and rifle butts on the crowds unable to flee.

In one video, a man said to be a car thief is either tarred or painted black, bound by the arms, and paraded through the streets by the so-called “Angels of Salvation”.

TALIBAN CRACK DOWN ON PROTESTERS

In the northeastern city of Jalalabad, at least three people were killed and dozens wounded as the Taliban broke up a protest.

Afghans in the city had taken down the flag of the Taliban and replaced it with the flag of Afghanistan. Video from the confrontation showed armed me firing weapons in the air and attacking crowds with batons.

TV REPORTER’S STARK WARDROBE CHANGE UNDER TALIBAN RULE

The so-called “Taliban 2.0” went on a public relations offensive, holding press conferences and taking more questions from the media than Joe Biden has during the crisis.

While speaking about forming an inclusive government and respecting women’s rights “within the framework of Islam”, the sudden contrast between a reporting in a pre-Taliban Afghanistan went viral.

TALIBAN LAUGH AT IDEA OF WOMEN POLITICIANS

The Taliban spokespeople stayed on message in presenting their public face to the world. But some members were unable to keep a straight face when asked about including women in government.

Asked about female politicians, the group of fighters burst out into laughter as one told the reporter to stop filming.

Originally published as Afghanistan: Heartbreaking moments from Taliban takeover