18,000 Evacuated From Kabul Since Taliban Takeover: NATO Official

Mumbai: More than 18,000 people have been flown out of Kabul since the Taliban takeover, a NATO official said on Friday. NATO will speed up its evacuation efforts in Kabul amid mounting criticism over its handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, the official added.

Thousands of people, desperate to flee the country, were still gathering at the airport, the official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters, even though the Taliban urged people without legal travel documents to go home.

The speed at which the Islamic militant Taliban conquered Afghanistan as the US and other foreign troops completed their withdrawal surprised even their own leaders and came to power in many places.

The Taliban called for unity ahead of Friday prayers as they seized power, calling on imams to persuade people not to leave Afghanistan amid reports of chaos, protests and violence at the airport.

NATO and Taliban officials said Kabul was largely calm except in and around the airport, where 12 people have been killed since Sunday.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview with NBC News that the United States was “laser-focused” on the “possibility of a terrorist attack” by a group like the Islamic State during the evacuation.

(With Reuters Input)

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