Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

Western forces, Afghan guards engage in firefighting at Kabul airport

August 23, 2021
Representative image

According to the German military’s Bundeswehr Joint Forces Operations Command, a deadly “firefight” erupted at Kabul’s airport on Monday between Western security forces and the Afghan guards. Reuters has reported that an Afghan guard died and three others were wounded in the fight, which also involved American and German forces, according to the Bundeswehr’s statement. Thousands of Afghans and foreigners seeking to leave Afghanistan were at the airport when the firefight began at the North Gate of the airport. The German statement did not say whether the guard killed at the airport’s North Gate was a Taliban fighter.

The CNN reports that the US military is establishing “alternative routes” to Kabul airport in coordination with the Taliban because “there is a strong possibility” the Islamic State group is trying to carry out an attack. The US Embassy issued a new security warning on Saturday telling Americans in Afghanistan not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instruction from a US government representative.

On the other hand, former Afghan government forces forming a resistance movement in a fortified valley in Panjshir province are preparing for “long-term conflict”, but are also seeking to negotiate with the Taliban, said their spokesman as reports came in that the Taliban moved a large force from Kunduz to retake the refractory Baghlan areas.