Last Updated: February 10, 2023, 12:22 IST
Kabul, Afghanistan
The Taliban resorted to firing in the air to disperse the people and even lathi charged them with batons to send those rushing towards the airport to their homes (Image: Reuters/Representative)
The situation also brings to attention the fact that Afghanistan is facing a major humanitarian crisis and how due to Taliban’s stubbornness, the global community is unable to help the Afghan people
A video surfaced earlier this Wednesday from Kabul where thousands of men were seen hurrying towards Kabul International Airport after a rumour surfaced that the Turkish government organised flights for volunteers to help with earthquake relief.
Southern Turkey and northwestern Syria have been hit with a devastating earthquake on Monday of 7.8-magnitude which has taken the lives of more than 21,000 people and injured tens of thousands of others. Both nations have welcomed rescue teams from across the world to help with rescuing those trapped beneath the rubble.
These are Kabul residents who are running to the airport amidst a widely circulating rumour that Turkish planes were waiting to take volunteers to Turkey to assist with the earthquake relief. This was not true.Many Afghans are looking for any chance to escape. pic.twitter.com/xOGu036QLC
– Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) February 9, 2023
Meanwhile, in Kabul, the false rumour led to the road leading to the airport being blocked with vehicles and pedestrians. Speaking to news outlet, the National, witnesses said that Taliban security forces fired in the air to disperse the crowds.
Several thousand people rushed towards the airport and found themselves stuck near a location which previously housed the former US embassy.
The witnesses also told the news outlet that Taliban security forces were hitting people with batons and pushing back pedestrians.
Taliban asked people not to rush to #KabulAirport & the “rumours of transporting people without travel documents to Turkey is a lie”. This is evening following the spread of a rumor that Turkish planes have arrived at Kabul airport & are transporting 1/2 pic.twitter.com/ZcTsAqyB6Q— Zia Shahreyar (@ziashahreyar) February 8, 2023
Around 11pm (local time) Kabul police chief Khalid Zadran and the Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Majid warned people to steer clear of the airport. “Some people have spread rumours that undocumented people are being sent to Turkey from Kabul airport, or Turkish planes have arrived and undocumented people are being brought back to that country. These rumours have no truth. Do not enter the airport and do not disturb public order,” Mujahid tweeted.
These scenes in Kabul quickly reminded Afghans of the plight they find themselves in and how precarious the law and order situation is, that any news of people being allowed to leave Afghanistan is greeted with joy and cheer.
An economic crisis has gripped Afghanistan and due to the Taliban regime blocking women from education and not including minorities in decision-making process, international lenders and global organizations have only lent minimum help.
The scenes also reminded Afghans of August 2021 when Afghan women flung newborns towards departing American soldiers in Kabul airport as they prepared to leave the country after two-decades as Taliban forces overthrew the democratically-elected government after US withdrawal from the region.
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