"Even Babies Must Be Saved"... Afghan Citizens' Desperate Escape

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] As escaping from Taliban-occupied Afghanistan is not easy, citizens are desperately handing over their babies over high and sharp barbed wire fences to U.S. troops in an effort to save even their own infants, causing sorrow among onlookers.

On the 19th (local time), foreign media reported that the area around Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, where people trying to leave Afghanistan have flocked, was in chaos.

In particular, according to videos posted on social networking services (SNS) that day, there were situations where Afghan citizens at the airport, desperate to evacuate their own children first, sent their babies to U.S. troops beyond the airport walls.

The video captured scenes of adults passing babies hand to hand through the crowd to send them inside the airport.

There is also a scene where a young girl, barely lifted over the airport fence, safely enters the airport with the help of U.S. troops.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

As the Taliban installed checkpoints throughout the city and conducted surprise inspections of citizens amid their reign of terror, the area around Kabul airport became extremely chaotic with citizens trying to escape Afghanistan to avoid Taliban oppression.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

In particular, thousands of people crowding the airport to flee Afghanistan led to gunshots fired to disperse the crowd, resulting in numerous injuries and deaths at the scene.

Eventually, all flight operations were temporarily suspended and only resumed after the runway situation was cleared.

However, many were unable to even enter the airport.

Although the airport is controlled by U.S. troops, checkpoints on the way to the airport are controlled by armed Taliban, blocking Afghans from leaving the country.

The Taliban assault civilians regardless of gender and tear up passports and documents to prevent them from reaching the airport.

A woman pointed to bandages wrapped around her leg and said, "I deliberately wore a black cloth fearing I might be criticized for inappropriate clothing, but I was still assaulted," adding, "I think I was beaten because I was trying to go to the airport."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

A man pointed to bruises on his arms and shoulders and explained, "These injuries happened while trying to protect my wife," expressing anger, "One Taliban member got angry at what my wife said and started hitting her with a stick."

On the 17th, after the Taliban took control of Kabul, they held their first press conference and claimed they would not seek revenge against those who cooperated with foreign troops, promoting inclusion and change.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

However, since then, they have pointed guns at protesters, journalists, and women, launching widespread crackdowns, revealing their true nature of terror politics again after 20 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.