Reuters Videos
These are the scenes pouring in from Afghanistan on its first day after the Taliban took the capital Kabul, the fall of the Afghan government, the ongoing chaos at its airport - and the new reality that has set in.There's a constant stream of helicopters over the city, and at the airport at least five people have been killed in the turmoil.It's not immediately clear how they died, whether by a stampede or gunfire or something else.Although at least two gunmen have been killed there by U.S. forces in separate incidents, according to a U.S. official, who says the gunmen had fired into the crowd.Afghans - residents and those fearing reprisals from the Taliban - were still flooding the area Monday (August 16) desperately trying to find a way out of the country. A U.S. official says troops that have taken over the airport had to fire their guns in the air to keep people off the tarmac and the planes flying. The U.S. says it is trying to get tens of thousands of at-risk Afghans who worked for the government out.The U.S. alone is expanding its troop presence here to over 6,000 soldiers to secure the evacuations. Allies including the UK and Australia are following suit.Meanwhile, on the streets, there's a heavy presence of Taliban fighters rolling in seized government vehicles.They've started collecting civilians' weapons, saying the items are no longer needed for their personal protection.Peace has come, they say, and they are projecting a message of restraint.A Taliban leader told Reuters that his fighters are under strict orders not to do anything to scare civilians. The group has said all women will need to wear a hijab, the partial head-covering, but they'll be allowed to work and seek an education. On Sunday (August 15) the Taliban also said there would be a general amnesty for government workers and Afghans who collaborated with U.S. and allied forces, after reports last week that Afghan troops that had surrendered were being executed.The Taliban released this video they say is of interviews with Kabul residents.This man is saying, "everything is good."Still, a government worker told Reuters he was hiding in his friend's house and feared a return to the policies the Taliban had when they last held power, 20 years ago.He told us his family is making sure they have enough burqas to cover his wife and daughters from head to toe.
