Saturday marked the seventh consecutive day of Taliban fighters taking control of Afghanistan's capital since the collapse of the Western-backed government last Sunday. This led to scenes of chaos, dramatic shifts and chaos.
On Wednesday, a Taliban fighter patrolled Wazir Akbar Khan in Kabul. On Sunday, the Taliban took control over the... [+] City. This caused chaos as Afghans fled the country in fear that the Taliban would return to the same brutal and oppressive methods it used nearly two decades ago.
After only 11 days of gaining control of large parts of Afghanistan, the Taliban invaded Kabul last weekend. They were able to declare the "Islamic Emirate" of Afghanistan on Thursday. This is the same name Afghanistan was given under Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001.
Reporters in Kabul claim that Taliban fighters now patrol almost every block of the city. This raises concerns about a return of the brutality of the Taliban's last rule, when it imposed a strict interpretation of Sharia law.
Afghans seeking to flee the Taliban stormed Hamid Karzai International Airport Monday. Some died after trying to hold onto a U.S. C-17 military aircraft as it took off.
The United States sent thousands of soldiers into Afghanistan to take control of the airport. Now, the planes are full of Afghan refugees and Americans fleeing the country.
Taliban claim Afghans are not afraid of America's presence, promising "amnesty for those who have worked with them" and stating that some of the harsh policies they used to rule such as forbidding education for women will no longer be followed.
