Panicked people cling to US plane taking off from Kabul

Afghans rushing to escape the Taliban after the insurgent group took the city of Kabul on Sunday were seen clinging to a U.S. military aircraft as it took off from the capital’s airport.

Thousands of residents of Kabul ran onto the tarmac at the airport in a desperate attempt to flee Afghanistan.

Many were seen grabbing onto a U.S. military plane as it took off. In videos posted on social media, people were seen falling off of the plane as it gained altitude.

Insane. Don’t have any other words.

The Kabul Airport.

pic.twitter.com/ylraJsDyme

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) August 16, 2021

At least two individuals are reported to have fallen off a plane after clinging to it as it flew off.

As The Associated Press reports, the “civilian side” of Kabul’s airport has been shut down while the U.S. and other Western forces continue to organize evacuation efforts.

At least seven people are believed to have died on Monday at the airport, where gunshots have been reported.

This could become Fall of Saigon 2.0 or worse — the Fall of Kabul and the massive throngs of people trying to flee at Kabul Airport. Can’t blame them. Where are the international support to send passenger jets to airlift them all out?! #Kabul pic.twitter.com/GamVlDejdJ

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) August 16, 2021

On Monday, it was reported by the AP that the head of U.S. Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie had reached a deal with the Taliban for it to not interfere in the U.S. military’s evacuation operations at the Kabul airport, with the general reportedly threatening force if the Taliban reneges on the deal.