Commercial flights from Kabul were canceled Monday after chaotic scenes at the airport with thousands looking for a way out after the Taliban re-took power in Afghanistan.
"There will be no commercial flights from Hamid Karzai Airport to prevent looting and plundering. Please do not rush to the airport," the Kabul airport authority said in a message sent to reporters.
New footage emerged Monday showing several dead bodies seen in Kabul airport after a night of chaos and fear. A number of other videos depicted people rushing to board planes late Sunday in an attempt to escape the country following the Taliban takeover.
VIDEO — Footage shows several Afghans shot in Kabul airport as people flooded to aircrafts in hopes of being evacuated. Reports say shots were fired into the air to disperse crowds; details remain unclearpic.twitter.com/Z3kicoL7uN
— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) August 16, 2021
According to a statement by NATO on Sunday, only military aircraft were allowed to operate as countries continued to evacuate diplomatic staff from Afghanistan.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier Sunday that the alliance was working to keep the Kabul airport running as foreign powers rushed to evacuate staff after the Taliban closed in on power.
"Spoke with U.K. PM Boris Johnson and the foreign ministers of our allies Canada, Denmark and Netherlands on the situation in Afghanistan. NATO is helping keep Kabul airport open to facilitate and coordinate evacuations," Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, British Airways said it is not currently using Afghanistan's airspace as Taliban militants entered the capital city.
