A firefight between Western forces and unidentified gunmen erupted over the weekend at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul as Afghanistan enters its second week in the hands of Taliban rule.
The deadly firefight ensued when Afghan fighters exchanged fire with unidentified individuals, the German military reported. The U.S. military said that no Western forces were killed during the attack, but one Afghan fighter perished and three others were left injured.
"The Afghans returned fire, and in keeping with their right of self-defense, so too did U.S. and coalition troops," U.S. Central Command spokesman Navy Capt. William Urban told CNBC, explaining that the encounter "appeared to begin when an unknown hostile actor fired upon Afghan security forces."
"The wounded are being treated at an airfield hospital and are reported to be in stable condition. Our condolences go out to the teammates and loved ones of the fallen Afghan soldier," Urban added. Chaos continues in the Kabul airport, where thousands of Afghans and foreigners seek to get out of the country that has fallen into the hands of the Taliban after President Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops in the war stricken Middle Eastern country.
According to Reuters, 20 people have already been killed in the chaos going on in the airport alone, through shootings and stampedes in the heat and dust, as Western forces scramble to ensure the safety of their countrymen and get out. Yet, two NATO officials said that following the deadly firefight at the airport that the situation was under control.
The Taliban forces have already deployed fighters surrounding the airport, where they continue to attempt enforcing order among the crowds of chaos. Over the weekend, seven Afghans died in a stampede at the airport gates as people rushed to evacuate the city.
The hurry to leave Afghanistan comes after President Biden said that U.S. troops might stay beyond the August 31 deadline to ensure a safe evacuation. However, Taliban leaders said that foreign forces have not sought permission to extend the deadline and would not be granted even if they had asked for it.
According to CBN News, many are still waiting to leave Afghanistan, as the U.S. State Department warned American citizens to refrain from trying to go to the airport. U.S. military aircraft are also firing flares during takeoff to divert any incoming heat-seeking missiles fired by the Taliban around the airport. Despite the chaos, President Biden insists that pulling out U.S. troops from Afghanistan to end the 20-year war was the right thing to do.
"I think that history is going to record this was the logical, rational, and right decision to make," the Democratic leader said during a national address on Sunday. But President Biden continues to receive backlash from both sides of the aisle for pulling out troops before facilitating the evacuation of American and Western civilians who are still in the country.
