Afghanistan war: Locals’ desperate acts to save children at Kabul Airport after Taliban takeover

Desperate to escape the Taliban, Afghans appear to be sacrificing their own chance at freedom for their children as the chaos at Kabul Airport continues.

Afghans desperate to give their children a life away from the Taliban appear to be sacrificing their own potential for freedom to instead give the youngsters the best chance to be at the front of refugee lines at Kabul Airport.

Footage captured outside the international airport showed a crowd of people lifting and passing children forward at the gate.

A crying baby, who looks no older than one-year-old, was passed above the crowd to be close to the front.

The video also captured a young girl being lifted above the crowd as people desperately try and get out of Afghanistan.

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It took the Taliban less than two weeks to take control of Afghanistan after the militant group launched a swift operation to capture the country.

Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, fell on Sunday night after Taliban fighters entered the presidential palace and declared victory.

The Taliban, which tightly controlled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 with its brutal interpretation of sharia law, have promised to keep the peace.

However tensions are on the rise in Afghanistan, especially at Kabul Airport where thousands of people are desperately trying to flee.

Thousands flooded Kabul Airport on Monday to try to flee the Taliban incursion.

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The US today pressed the Taliban to let Afghans flee through the US-controlled airport as the regime promised, after reports they have violated those assurances.

“We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport,” US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters.

US diplomats in Doha and military officials in Kabul “are engaging directly with the Taliban to make clear that we expect them to allow all American citizens, all third-country nationals and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment,” she said.

Ms Sherman said that the Taliban appeared to be honouring their commitment to allow US citizens to head to the airport.

But she said that the United States was looking for assurances on safe passage for “everybody who is trying to get to the airport”.

“The Taliban are hoping to create a government in Afghanistan. They seek legitimacy. We are all watching their actions,” she said.

The US military secured the airport to fly out US citizens and other vulnerable people after the Afghan government crumbled to the Taliban over the weekend. However there are Taliban checkpoints around the outside of the airport, making the journey to the airport treacherous for those seeking to leave the country.

– with AFP