For the first time since Taliban took the control over the capital city, Afghan police at Kabul airport have returned to work. The Taliban had taken over Kabul on August 15. That was when police had abandoned their posts, fearful of the new rule. Many had even evacuated from the Kabul airport.
According to officers on duty, they returned to work after a Taliban insider called them.
“I came back to work yesterday more than two weeks after being sent home,” one of the police force members told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“I received a call from a senior Taliban commander who asked me to come back,” another officer said.
“Yesterday was great, so happy to serve again.”
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The Kabul airport was heavily distorted during the chaotic evacuation of over 120,000 people for around 15 days that ended with the withdrawal of US forces on August 30. It was on August 30 that the Taliban had declared independence and had announced to form a government in the war-ravaged country.
An airport employee who handles security for a private company confirmed that the border police had been deployed around the airport since Saturday.
“They are sharing the security with the Taliban,” he told AFP.
Qatar Airways has operated charter flights out of Kabul in recent days, carrying mostly foreigners and Afghans who missed being taken out during the evacuation. Meanwhile, Qatar foreign minister had also met a Taliban official on Monday and had said that he looks forward to a peaceful relationship.
While domestic flights in Afghanistan have resumed, a flight from Pakistan to Kabul is also expected to be operational in the coming days.
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