Who Controls Kabul Airport? Taliban's Airport Power Play

The Taliban is a Sunni Islamist nationalist and pro-Pashtun movement that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. In 2021, the Taliban took control of Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport following the withdrawal of all US military personnel. This caused chaos, death, and panic, as thousands of Afghans sought to flee the country, fearing a return to the brutal rule the Taliban imposed during their previous governance. The Taliban's capture of the airport was preceded by a suicide bombing at the Abbey Gate outside the airport, which killed 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians.

Taliban control of Kabul airport

On 29 August 2021, the Taliban guarded Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport as most NATO troops left Afghanistan. The airport was the scene of chaos, death, and panic following the Taliban's capture of Kabul. The Taliban sealed off the airport to prevent large crowds from gathering after a suicide attack by ISIS-K that killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 US service members.

The Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, proclaimed victory after the Taliban "liberated our country from a great power". He also said that the Taliban wanted good relations with the US and the rest of the world. The Taliban leaders walked across the runway on the northern military side of the airport as a symbolic gesture following the final withdrawal of US troops.

The UN Security Council urged the Taliban to let people leave Afghanistan, and countries like France and Qatar began diplomatic talks with the Taliban to ensure the safe evacuation of their citizens. The US Senate also passed a bill to provide aid for US citizens returning from Afghanistan, with emergency funds totalling $10 million annually for 2021 and 2022.

In the past, the Taliban have been suspected of conducting several attacks in Afghanistan, including a truck bomb attack in a residential area, a suicide bombing at the entrance of the Kabul Police Academy, and an attack on a Resolute Support Mission installation.

Evacuation of civilians and foreign nationals

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 led to a large-scale evacuation operation conducted by the United States and its allies. The operation involved the evacuation of foreign nationals and some vulnerable Afghan citizens.

The Taliban took control of Kabul and declared victory on 15 August 2021, causing the NATO-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to collapse. With the Taliban controlling the whole city except Hamid Karzai International Airport, hostilities ceased, and the evacuation efforts began. The US deployed 3,000 additional troops, and the UK deployed 600 troops to Kabul Airport to secure the airlifts of their nationals, embassy staff, and Afghan citizens who worked with coalition forces.

The evacuation efforts were not without challenges and casualties. On 26 August, an explosion occurred outside the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport, killing at least 170 people and wounding 150 others. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province (ISIL-K) claimed responsibility for the attack, which was perpetrated by a suicide bomber. The majority of those killed were Afghan civilians, but 13 US military personnel and 2 British nationals were also among the dead.

Despite these challenges, the evacuation efforts continued. The Japanese evacuation was completed, and on 28 August, the United Kingdom concluded its evacuation of British civilians. France also stated that it was making every effort to evacuate its citizens who were still in Afghanistan.

The Taliban have pledged to install a more progressive government than their previous rule from 1996 to 2001. However, reports from areas under their control suggest that girls and women are being deprived of basic rights, and there are concerns about the Taliban's close ties with al-Qaeda. The UN mission in Afghanistan has documented numerous human rights violations under the Taliban's rule, including intimidation of journalists, restriction of press freedoms, violent crackdowns on demonstrations, and enforced prohibitions on behavior deemed un-Islamic.

Human rights violations

The Taliban took control of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul following the withdrawal of all US military personnel in 2021. In the aftermath, thousands of Afghans were left behind during the chaotic withdrawal and airlift. Many Afghans feared coming under the rule of the Islamist extremist group, with reports suggesting that girls and women were being deprived of basic rights.

Since the Taliban takeover, there has been a deterioration of human rights across Afghanistan. The Taliban have been accused of extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, and detentions, as well as violations of fundamental freedoms. The group has limited dissent by cracking down on protests and curbing media freedoms, with journalists, protestors, and civil society activists facing arbitrary arrests.

Women in Afghanistan have faced severe restrictions under the Taliban, with most women-led businesses suspending operations due to liquidity crises and fear of violating Taliban edicts. The Taliban has placed restrictions on male-female interactions, making it difficult for women to access healthcare. Reproductive rights have also been affected, with the Taliban prohibiting male doctors from treating female patients without a male chaperone.

Ethnic groups, including religious minorities, have faced increasing marginalization, prejudice, and forced evictions under the Taliban. The group has enforced public executions and corporal punishment, such as stoning and flogging. There is also a pervasive fear of persecution, with reports of forced disappearances, unlawful detention, and torture.

The Taliban's changes to the judicial system have denied citizens access to justice for human rights abuses. The group has forcibly entered homes and offices to search for perceived political enemies, defying instructions to respect privacy. The culture of impunity has continued, with war crimes and crimes against humanity going unpunished.

Taliban rule and treatment of women

The Taliban, a Sunni Islamist nationalist and pro-Pashtun movement, ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until they were routed from power by a US-led campaign in October 2001. In August 2021, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan once again following the withdrawal of US and NATO troops.

Since their return to power, the Taliban have imposed a range of restrictions on women's social and political life. Women have been banned from working in government offices and holding high-ranking positions. They are also prohibited from working as lawyers or judges or from holding other positions in the justice system. The Taliban have banned female students from all university education and barred girls from secondary education. In addition, women are banned from travelling outside the country without a mahram (a male family member).

The Taliban's restrictions on women's employment have had a significant impact on the education system, with thousands of female students and teachers affected. Female teachers have been dismissed, causing schools to close due to a lack of educators. The Taliban have also banned mixed-gender faculty meetings and restricted female lecturers' entry to campuses. In addition, media outlets have been instructed to ban women from co-hosting shows with male journalists and refrain from reporting on women's rights and violence against women.

The Taliban's rules have also affected women's access to healthcare. Male doctors are no longer allowed to treat women in hospitals, leading to increased distances and decreased access to healthcare for women. Female healthcare workers have reported safety issues and harassment by the Taliban.

Overall, the Taliban's rule and treatment of women have resulted in the denial of basic rights and freedoms, with women being excluded from various aspects of public life and facing increased restrictions on their education, employment, and access to healthcare and justice.

US withdrawal from Afghanistan

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan refers to the removal of the country's remaining armed forces following the Afghanistan War (2001-2014). The war was initiated in response to the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., which were carried out by members of al-Qaeda, an organisation that operated within Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban regime.

In the years preceding the withdrawal, the US and its allies began negotiating with the Taliban. In 2020, the Trump administration agreed to an initial reduction of US forces from 13,000 to 8,600 troops by July 2020, with a complete withdrawal by 1 May 2021, conditional on the Taliban's adherence to the agreement. This agreement included preventing al-Qaeda or other extremist groups from operating in areas under Taliban control and engaging in peace negotiations with the Afghan government.

The Biden-Harris administration continued the withdrawal process, despite criticism from some who argued that the decision prioritised political optics over the security of US personnel. The Taliban began a final offensive on 1 May 2021, and the US withdrawal was completed on 30 August 2021, shortly before the deadline.

The withdrawal was marked by chaos and violence, including the bombing of Abbey Gate at the Kabul airport, which resulted in the deaths of 170 Afghans and 13 US service members. The Taliban took control of Hamid Karzai International Airport following the departure of US forces. The US withdrawal had significant implications, including the return of the Taliban to power and concerns about national security, as Afghanistan once again became a haven for terrorist groups. The credibility of the US on the world stage was also impacted, and there was a moral injury to America's veterans and serving personnel.

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