Taliban urges undocumented people to leave Kabul airport

Kabul, Aug 19 (IANS) A Taliban member on Thursday announced to a crowd outside the Kabul airport that only people with travelling documents will be allowed access.

"A man who claims to be in charge of airport security told us that all people who do not have legal documents must leave the gate as soon as possible," a resident Mohammad Jamil told Xinhua news agency.

Jamil, who has been waiting to access since early Wednesday has no passport just holding an Afghan identity card, said he rushed to the airport after hearing that foreign planes were airlifting people and evacuating any person who wanted to leave Kabul.

On Sunday night, former President Ashraf Ghani left the country, as the Taliban fighters entered the national capital and took control of Kabul.

On Sunday, the security forces failed to stop people entered the airport building and runways.

On early Monday, the Taliban took control of the airport and agreed to provide safe passage for people who hold documents.

The US forces started to evacuate diplomats and Afghans who worked for them early Sunday.

The evacuation flights operated on Thursday morning and would continue before the end of August, according to sources.