Taliban urge Afghans to leave Kabul airport after days of deadly chaos

While Kabul has been generally calm since Taliban forces entered on Sunday after a week of stunning advances across the country, the airport has been in chaos as people rushed for a way out of Afghan capital.

A civilian charter flight arriving at a Midlands airport from Kabul on Wednesday. The flight carried eligible Afghans under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy Programme and British Nationals who were based in Afghanistan. Picture: SAC Samantha Holden RAF/PA Wire

The Taliban on Thursday urged crowds of Afghans waiting outside Kabul airport in the hope of fleeing the country to go home, saying they did not want to hurt anyone, a day after Taliban fighters fired at protesters, killing three, witnesses said.

The United States and other Western powers pressed on with the evacuation of their nationals and some of their Afghan staff from the airport on Afghanistan's Independence Day, which could trigger more protests against the Islamists.