Why Afghans are now fleeing to the border – not the airport

Desperate Afghans trying to flee Taliban rule are making their way to the border in attempt to seek refuge in neighbouring countries

Afghan refugees seeking to flee the Taliban-controlled nation gathered on its borders attempting to get into neighbouring nations such as

The Taliban has promised to continue its focus on keeping banks, hospitals and government machinery running following the final withdrawal of U.S. forces which put an end to a massive airlift of Afghans who had helped Western nations during the 20-year war.

With Kabul’s airport now out of operation, private efforts to help Afghans fearful of Taliban reprisals focus on arranging safe passage across the land-locked nation’s borders with Iran, Pakistan and central Asian states

Reports stated that near Torkham, a major border crossing with Pakistan just to the east of the Khyber Pass, a Pakistani official confirmed “A large number of people are waiting on the Afghanistan side for the opening of the gate.”

Thousands of people also flocked to the Islam Qala border post between Afghanistan and Iran

More than 123,000 people were evacuated from Kabul in the U.S.-led airlift after the Taliban took control of the city in mid-August, but tens of thousands of Afghans at risk remained left behind.

Germany estimates that between 10,000 and 40,000 Afghan staff still working for charities and development organisations in Afghanistan have the human right to be evacuated to Germany if they feel endangered by the militant group now in power.