Chaos at Kabul airport

Chaos in Kabul

A government collapse and a Taliban takeover has thrown Afghanistan’s capital into chaos as people rush to evacuate to safety.

AIRPORT

Military and commercial

evacuation flights

Desperate

civilians storm

the terminal

Helicopter

evacuations

to airport

KABUL CITY

U.S. EMBASSY

AIRPORT

Military and commercial

evacuation flights

Desperate civilians

storm the terminal

from main roads

Helicopter

evacuations

to airport

KABUL CITY

U.S. EMBASSY

AIRPORT

Military and commercial

evacuation flights

Desperate civilians

storm the terminal

from main roads

Helicopter

evacuations

to airport

KABUL CITY

U.S. EMBASSY

AIRPORT

Military and commercial

evacuation flights

Desperate civilians

storm the terminal

from main roads

Helicopter

evacuations

to airport

KABUL CITY

U.S. EMBASSY

AIRPORT

Military and commercial

evacuation flights

Desperate civilians storm the terminal from main roads

Helicopter

evacuations

to airport

KABUL CITY

U.S. EMBASSY

Satellite image: Google, Landsat, Copernicus

The United States and Western allies will seek to evacuate as many of their citizens and Afghan staff as possible from Kabul’s airport in the coming weeks, following the collapse of Afghanistan’s military and government to the Taliban.

U.S. military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians from the capital restarted on Tuesday after the runway at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport was cleared of thousands desperate to flee following the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the capital.

The number of civilians had thinned out, a Western security official at the airport told Reuters on Tuesday, a day after U.S. troops had fired in the air to disperse crowds and people clung to a U.S. military transport plane as it taxied for take-off.

U.S. forces took charge of the entire airport, the only way to fly out of the country, as the militants were winding up a dramatic week of advances across the country with the takeover of the capital without a fight.

Three U.S. military bases were prepared to accept up to 22,000 Afghan allies in the coming weeks, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday.

The evacuation process over Tuesday night was smooth, with a little over 2,200 diplomatic and foreign security staff and Afghans who worked for embassies leaving Kabul, said a western security official.

Hungarian Air Force

Tbilisi

Ankara

UZBEKISTAN

TURKEY

Kabul

Turkish Air Force

IRAN

AFGHANISTAN

Qatary Air Force

SAUDI

ARABIA

Doha

U.S. military flights

*US flights are not fully tracked after takeoff

RUSSIA

Hungarian Air Force

UZBEKISTAN

Tbilisi

GEORGIA

US flights are not fully tracked after takeoff

Ankara

TURKMENISTAN

TURKEY

Kabul

SYRIA

Turkish Air Force

IRAN

AFGHANISTAN

IRAQ

Qatary Air Force

PAKISTAN

Doha

EGYPT

U.S. military flights

SAUDI ARABIA

UAE

RUSSIA

Hungarian Air Force

UZBEKISTAN

Tbilisi

GEORGIA

Ankara

TURKMENISTAN

US flights are not fully tracked after takeoff

TURKEY

Kabul

SYRIA

Turkish Air Force

AFGHANISTAN

IRAQ

IRAN

Qatary Air Force

PAKISTAN

EGYPT

Doha

U.S. military flights

SAUDI ARABIA

UAE

RUSSIA

Hungarian Air Force

UZBEKISTAN

Tbilisi

GEORGIA

Istanbul

Ankara

TURKMENISTAN

TURKEY

US flights are not fully tracked after takeoff

Turkish Air Force

SYRIA

Kabul

AFGHANISTAN

IRAQ

IRAN

Qatary Air Force

PAKISTAN

EGYPT

Doha

U.S. military flights

SAUDI ARABIA

UAE

Data from flight tracking service FlightRadar24 shows some military flights out of Kabul on Aug. 16 and 17, however, most flights are not tracked. The flights of the C-130 and C-17 cargo planes shown are a fraction of those actually operated and the number of evacuees onboard is also unknown.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo jet that had been cleared to evacuate, airlifted 640 Afghans - considerably more than its 134 trooper designated passenger load - towards Qatar late on Sunday night according to Defense One, a U.S. national security news site.

Evacuees crowd the interior of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. August 15, 2021. Courtesy of Defense One/Handout via REUTERS

The Hamid Karzai International airport operates as a military base in addition to having commercial operations. The northern section houses the military hangars.

C-130

Traffic jams

Chinook

helicopters

C-130

Helicopters

Military side

Civilian side

Main runway

Entry road

Boeing C-17

Helicopters

Military side

Helicopters

Chinook

helicopters

C-130

Boeing C-17

Helicopters

Main runway

C-130

Traffic jams

Civilian side

Entry road

Military side

Helicopters

Chinook

helicopters

C-130

Boeing C-17

Helicopters

Main runway

C-130

Traffic jams

Civilian side

Entry road

C-130

Traffic jams

Chinook

helicopters

C-130

Helicopters

Entry road

Main runway

Boeing C-17

Helicopters

Civilian side

Military side

Military side

Helicopters

Chinook

helicopters

C-130

Boeing C-17

Helicopters

Main runway

C-130

Civilian side

Traffic jams

Entry road

As Taliban fighters entered the city, thousands of desperate Afghan civilians thronged its southern terminal on the civilian side of the airport in the hope that they might escape. Many breached the airport walls and security, spilling onto the tarmac.

A man pulls a girl to get inside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan August 16, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer

Satellite imagery taken on August 16 by Maxar Technologies showed crowds of people on the runway and others outside the airport desperate to get inside and flee the country.

In one image, the crowd can be seen on the main runway approaching the military side of the airport and a line of armoured vehicles.

Crowds crossing

towards main runway

and military area

People next to the

main runway

Satellite image: Maxar Technologies, August 16

Chaos at the terminal

Multiple aircraft still on the tarmac at the airport were swarmed by people hoping that at least one could carry them to safety.

The images below have been reorientated and placed to give an overview of the civilian side of the airport.

Satellite imagery showing civilian side of Kabul airport on 16th August.

Image Courtesy: Maxar technologies

TERMINAL

BUILDING

Armoured

vehicles

Dense

crowd

Kam Air - A340

Scheduled to Delhi

but cancelled

Bakhtar Afghan Airlines

Crowd

Kam Air

Both Boeing 737s

still grounded

Ariana Afghan Airlines

Arrived from Delhi

on Aug.14

Crowds

Parked

aircraft

Crowds crossing

towards main runway

and military area

Crowd of people

next to the main runway

Crowds gathered at

smaller entry gate

RUNWAY

Turkish Airlines

Flight TK707

Evacuation flight made it out of Kabul before air space closed.

Military

surveillance

aircraft

Satellite imagery showing civilian side of Kabul airport on 16th August.

Image Courtesy: Maxar technologies

TERMINAL

BUILDING

Armoured

vehicles

Dense

crowd

Kam Air - A340

Scheduled to Delhi

but cancelled

Bakhtar Afghan Airlines

Crowd

Kam Air

Both Boeing 737s

still grounded

Ariana Afghan Airlines

Arrived from Delhi

on Aug.14

Crowds

Parked

aircraft

Crowds crossing

towards main runway

and military area

Crowd of people

next to the main runway

Crowds gathered at

smaller entry gate

RUNWAY

Turkish Airlines

Flight TK707

Evacuation flight made it out of Kabul before air space closed.

Military

surveillance

aircraft

Satellite image

taken Aug. 16

TERMINAL

BUILDING

AIRPORT ROAD

Armoured

vehicles

Dense

crowd

Kam Air - A340

Scheduled to Delhi

but cancelled

MAIN

ENTRANCE

AIRPORT

Bakhtar Afghan Airlines

Crowd

Both Boeing 737s

still grounded

Kam Air

Ariana Afghan Airlines

Arrived from Delhi

on Aug.14

Crowds

Crowds crossing

towards main runway

and military area

Parked aircraft

Parked aircraft

RUNWAY

Crowds gathered at

smaller entry gate

RUNWAY

Military

surveillance

aircraft

Turkish Airlines - Flight TK707

Evacuation flight made it out of

Kabul before air space closed.

Satellite imagery showing civilian side of Kabul airport on 16th August.

Image Courtesy: Maxar technologies

TERMINAL

BUILDING

Armoured

vehicles

Dense

crowd

Kam Air - A340

Scheduled to Delhi

but cancelled

Bakhtar Afghan Airlines

Crowd

Kam Air

Both Boeing 737s

still grounded

Ariana Afghan Airlines

Arrived from Delhi

on Aug.14

Crowds

Crowds crossing

towards main runway

and military area

Crowd of people

next to the main runway

Crowds gathered at

smaller entry gate

RUNWAY

Turkish Airlines

Flight TK707

Evacuation flight made it out of Kabul before air space closed.

Military

surveillance

aircraft

Satellite image

taken Aug. 16

TERMINAL

BUILDING

AIRPORT ROAD

Armoured

vehicles

Dense

crowd

Kam Air - Airbus A340

Scheduled to Delhi

but cancelled

MAIN

ENTRANCE

AIRPORT

Bakhtar Afghan Airlines

Crowd

Both Boeing 737s

still grounded

Kam Air

Ariana Afghan Airlines

Arrived from Delhi

on Aug.14

Crowds

Crowds crossing

towards main runway

and military area

Parked aircraft

Parked aircraft

RUNWAY

Crowds gathered at

smaller entry gate

RUNWAY

Military

surveillance

aircraft

Turkish Airlines - Flight TK707

The evacuation flight made it out of

Kabul before air space was closed.

In the days leading up to the Taliban entering Kabul, hundreds of Afghans fled the country on the few commercial flights available. Flight data from FlightRadar24 shows that from Aug. 14 to 15, some 21 international flights departed from Kabul to Georgia, India, Iran, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, UAE and Uzbekistan.

Turkish Airways operated an additional flight out of Kabul on August 16, as shown in the image above, the last commercial evacuation before Afghan air space was closed.

Many Afghans fled to the Middle East and other parts of Asia, but as commercial airlines suspended operations, people were left stranded as the Taliban began to close in on the city.

RUSSIA

Turkish Airlines

UZBEKISTAN

Tbilisi

Tashkent

Istanbul

TURKEY

CHINA

Mashhad

Kabul

Tehran

Islamabad

AFGHANISTAN

IRAN

Zabol

PAKISTAN

Delhi

Dubai

EGYPT

Doha

Kam Air

and Air India

UAE

Emirates

and Flydubai

SAUDI ARABIA

INDIA

OMAN

RUSSIA

Turkish Airlines

UZBEKISTAN

Tbilisi

Tashkent

Istanbul

TURKEY

CHINA

Mashhad

Tehran

Kabul

Islamabad

AFGHANISTAN

IRAN

Zabol

PAKISTAN

Delhi

Dubai

Doha

EGYPT

Kam Air and Air India

UAE

SAUDI ARABIA

Emirates and Flydubai

OMAN

INDIA

RUSSIA

UZBEKISTAN

Turkish Airlines

GEORGIA

Tbilisi

Tashkent

Istanbul

TURKMENISTAN

TURKEY

CHINA

Mashhad

Tehran

Kabul

Islamabad

AFGHANISTAN

IRAN

Zabol

PAKISTAN

Delhi

QATAR

Dubai

Kam Air and Air India

EGYPT

Doha

Emirates and Flydubai

SAUDI ARABIA

INDIA

OMAN

RUSSIA

Turkish Airlines

GEORGIA

Tbilisi

Tashkent

UZBEKISTAN

Istanbul

TURKMENISTAN

TURKEY

CHINA

Mashhad

Tehran

Kabul

Islamabad

AFGHANISTAN

IRAN

Zabol

PAKISTAN

Delhi

QATAR

Kam Air and Air India

Dubai

EGYPT

Doha

SAUDI ARABIA

UAE

Emirates and Flydubai

INDIA

OMAN

Chaotic scenes at the airport on Monday included a group clinging to a U.S. military transport plane as it taxied on the single runway. One person appeared to fall from the plane during takeoff, according to television footage.

Media also reported two people fell to their deaths from the underside of a U.S. military aircraft after it took off, crashing to their deaths on roofs of homes near the airport.

Fall of Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s quick fall to the Taliban came at the end of a nearly 20-year war that began in October 2001. As the United States withdrew military forces, the militant group began establishing their dominance in the region.

The lightning rout of Afghan forces saw the Taliban taking over at least 17 provincial capitals in 10 days and the capital Kabul on Aug. 15.

Provincial capitals

taken by the Taliban

Kandahar

Second biggest city

Zaranj

The first provincial capital to fall

Kabul

Taliban enters the capital

Aug. 14

Aug. 6

Aug. 10

Provincial capitals

taken by the Taliban

Kandahar

Second biggest city

Zaranj

The first provincial capital to fall

Kabul

Taliban enters the capital

Aug. 14

Aug. 6

Aug. 10

Provincial capitals

taken by the Taliban

Kandahar

Second biggest city

Zaranj

The first provincial capital to fall

Kabul

Taliban enters the capital

Aug. 14

Aug. 6

Aug. 10

Thousands of U.S. troops have been flown to Kabul to secure the airport and aid in the evacuation of American diplomats, civilians and Afghans who helped the U.S. government.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid speaks during a news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan August 17, 2021. Picture by STRINGER | REUTERS.

After their quick seizure of Kabul, the Taliban said in a press conference on Tuesday they wanted peaceful relations with other countries and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.

The Taliban’s announcements, though short on details, suggested a softer line than during their rule 20 years ago.

President Joe Biden’s pledge to evacuate thousands more at-risk Afghans who worked for the U.S. government will run into the cold reality of a fast-closing window of opportunity, insecurity across the country and major logistical hurdles.

Biden announced his intent to start evacuating at-risk Afghans in July, despite calls by lawmakers and refugee groups to do so months earlier. Since July, only 2,000 Afghans have been flown to the United States.

The Pentagon is aiming to evacuate up to 22,000 Special Immigrant Visa applicants, their families and other at-risk people.

“It’s a nice goal to have, but realistically it’s going to be a challenge,” said a U.S. official of the 22,000-person target, speaking on condition of anonymity.

By

Simon Scarr, Marco Hernandez, Wen Foo, Manas Sharma and Anand Katakam

Sources

FlightRadar24; Maxar Technologies; Reuters reporting.

Edited by

Tom Hogue