www.aljazeera.com
Panic grips Kabul airport amid ‘terror’ threat warning
People are urged to move away from Kabul airport over attack threat as evacuation planes take off every 39 minutes.
International
The US and its allies have urged people to move away from Kabul airport due to the threat of an attack by an affiliate of the ISIL (ISIS) armed group.
In the 11 days since the Taliban took Kabul, the US and its allies have mounted one of the biggest air evacuations in history, bringing out more than 88,000 people. The US military says planes are taking off about every 39 minutes.
Taliban fighters have been guarding the perimeter of the airport, thronged by thousands of people trying to flee a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Al Jazeera’s Charlotte Bellis, reporting from Kabul, said about 1,500 US passport holders meant to be evacuated remained in the capital.
“The US and the Taliban have a deal. The Taliban are under strict instructions not to let anyone through without a passport, without a green card, without verified documents and there is confusion about what a verified document looks like,” she said.
She also said Kandahar airport has been reopened, giving hope that international flights will be possible even if Kabul airport closes down or has an interruption.