DIRECT. Afghanistan: panic scenes at Kabul airport, Americans shoot in the air

The essential

• This Sunday, the Taliban, who had already taken many provincial capitals, arrived at the gates of Kabul.

  Within hours, they negotiated with the president and demanded a peaceful transition to gain power in the country.

• President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan to "avoid a bloodshed" and admitted that the Taliban had "won".

• Many Western countries have started evacuating their nationals there.

  Some have decided to close their embassies or drastically reduce their staff.

  France has chosen to move it to Kabul airport.

• Emmanuel Macron will speak at 8 p.m. on Monday.

  In the meantime, he will chair a Defense Council this Monday noon.

• Paris sends military reinforcements and two transport planes to the Arab Emirates to facilitate the evacuations.

Follow the events of the day live:

7 hours.

Panic at the airport.

Many Afghans are at Kabul airport hoping to get a flight and be able to leave their country to flee the Taliban.

Last struggle to get onboard… # KabulAirlift pic.twitter.com/58nydCpHS3

- Sultan Faizy سلطان فیضی (@SultanFaizy) August 16, 2021

6:50 a.m.

Tensions at the airport.

The US army has announced that it will secure Kabul airport, where its personnel have notably gathered.

According to witnesses, the American soldiers fired in the air, a huge crowd having invaded the tarmac.

Latest pictures from Kabul Airport.

People are on their own now while the world watches in silence.

Only sane advise to Afghan people… RUN pic.twitter.com/RQGw28jFYx

- Sudhir Chaudhary (@sudhirchaudhary) August 16, 2021

6:40 am.

Let the citizens go.

Washington and 65 allied countries are calling on the insurgents to safely let Afghans who wish to flee their country.

6.30 a.m.

The American flag has left the Embassy.

The American flag no longer flies over the United States Embassy in Afghanistan.

All staff are currently at the airport, awaiting evacuation.

6:25 am.

Panic in Kabul.

The entry of the Taliban into the Afghan capital and the flight of the president, who admitted that the Taliban had "won" and were "now responsible for the honor, possession and self-preservation of their country" created a wave of panic in Kabul.

After 20 years of freedom, Afghans fear the return of an ultra-rigorous version of Islamic law.

All the details can be read here.

6:20 am.

Hello everyone.

Welcome to this live, dedicated to current events in Afghanistan.