File image of the US Marine calming the Afghan baby. Twitter/@USMC
The image is in stark contrast to the chaotic scenes witnessed at the Kabul airport that have become commonplace since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on 15 August
File image of the US Marine calming the Afghan baby. Twitter/@USMC
As scenes of mayhem continue to come from Afghanistan, a picture of a United States Marine taking care of an infant in the country is going viral.
The image shows a soldier sitting on a chair with an infant in his arms. The soldier, who is part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), can be seen calming the baby while another officer keeps guard in the distance.
A Marine assigned to the 24th MEU calms an infant during an evacuation at #HKIA Kabul, Aug 20.
U.S. service members and coalition partners are assisting the @StateDept with a Non-combatant Evacuation Operation in #Afghanistan. @USMARCENT @CENTCOM#Marines pic.twitter.com/dKKxjsa8Wq
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) August 20, 2021
The post shared by the official Twitter account of the US Marines says that the photograph was taken on 20 August during the evacuation taking place at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The US Marines have released several photographs of their soldiers helping children during the withdrawal of foreign troops that is going on in Kabul.
Helping hands. #HKIA pic.twitter.com/5LvU8ZhQ65 — Marine Corps Forces Central Command (@USMARCENT) August 20, 2021
The images are in sharp contrast to the chaotic scenes witnessed at the airport. Recently, a video clip that showed US Marines lifting a baby over a crowd at Kabul also went viral. The marines can be seen pulling the baby by one arm above a razor wire-topped wall.
The chaos & fear of people is a testament to the international community’s role in AFG’s downfall & their subsequent abandonment of Afghan people. The future for AFG has bn decided for its people without its people’s vote & now they live at the mercy of a terrorist group. #Kabul pic.twitter.com/k4bevc2eHE
— Omar Haidari (@OmarHaidari1) August 19, 2021
Another image that took social media by storm was of more than 600 Afghans crammed into the US air force’s C-17 Globemaster III. The people, who were trying to escape the Taliban, were said to have arrived safely at their destination in Qatar.
"The Crew Made the Decision to Go:" Inside Reach 871, A US C-17 Packed With 640 Afghans Trying to Escape the Taliban | @TaraCopp and @MarcusReports https://t.co/lf3LajxzzX pic.twitter.com/6wg82LtfRc — Defense One (@DefenseOne) August 16, 2021
The Taliban has swept across Afghanistan in recent weeks, capturing Kabul on 15 August. The takeover of the capital and most of the country has forced many Afghans to flee from the country. The capital’s airport has witnessed scenes of tragedy and heartbreak as people try their best to escape.
While the group has declared “amnesty” and urged women to join the government, fears still abound within the population that the group would re-impose its harsh, fundamentalist rule.