Chaos at Pakistan-Afghanistan border as Afghans rush to to flee Taliban

26 August 2021, 08:53

Huge crowds of Afghans desperate to flee the country are massing at the border between Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan.

Videos have emerged on social media of the hectic situation at the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thousands of Afghan citizens appear to have gathered there desperate to be allowed to leave Taliban rule after being told to seek other routes out of the country.

It comes after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace suggested yesterday that Afghans who are eligible to claim asylum in the UK and wish to travel to Britain should travel to a third country rather than try and board a flight at Kabul airport.

The UK has pledged to resettle up to 20,000 Afghan refugees. However, many Afghans are too fearful for wait, leading to rising desperation and crushes at the country's borders.

Huge numbers of people are trying to cross the border in scorching temperatures, which are being described as "worse" than those at Kabul airport.

The Spin Boldak border crossing is particularly badly affected. There are no allied forces assisting at border checkpoints, leaving Pakistan forces to cope with an endless stream of people arriving.

This comes as the deadline to end evacuation flights, 31 August, approaches. Flights have been disrupted after British officials advised people to stay away from the airport due to the "high threat" of a "severe" and "imminent" attack.

The airport is thought to be under threat from a suicide bomb by terror group Isis-K. The Armed Forces Minister, James Heappey, told LBC that the attack could occur "within hours".

Read more: Afghanistan: 'High threat' of Isis-K terror attack as evacuation deadline draws near

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On Wednesday night the Foreign Office warned people not to travel to the airport, saying: "There is an ongoing and high threat of terrorist attack. Do not travel to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport. If you are in the area of the airport, move away to a safe location and await further advice."

The FCDO's updated advice said there had been allegations "of people being mistreated on their way to Kabul International Airport", and that travelling by road is was "extremely dangerous".

Armed Forces Minister: Attack on Kabul airport could be within hours

Defence Secretary Mr Wallace is reported to have told MPs: "I recommend that they try and make it to the border … because it is higher profile going to the airport – that is where the Taliban will be focusing their efforts at the moment." 

He did not seem to be referring to those who have been instructed to travel to the airport by allied forces however, such as British nationals.

Since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, around 80,000 people have been airlifted from the capital by allied forces. 11,474 have already been evacuated from the city with the help of British forces, the government has confirmed.

There have been calls from the UK government to the US to extend their deadline to withdraw their 5,800 troops from the country. However, the Taliban have warned that they have no plans to abide with an extension.

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Armed Forces Minister pays tribute to bravery of troops at Kabul

A Taliban spokesman told CNN yesterday: "The road, which goes to the airport, is blocked. Afghans cannot take that road to go to the airport, but foreign nationals are allowed to take that road to the airport.

"We are not allowing the evacuation of Afghans anymore and we are not happy with it either."