A firefight broke out between Afghan and Western security forces and "unknown gunmen" at the North Gate of Kabul's international airport Monday, as thousands of Afghans and foreigners flocked to the airport for safety and fled Taliban rule, reports said.
In a tweet, the German military said one Afghan security officer died, and another three were hurt. German security officials said U.S. and German forces got involved in the firefight, and there were no injuries to German troops.
No further information was disclosed, and it wasn't immediately known who the gunmen were. Taliban fighters, who are manning the external perimeter of Kabul airport, have as of Monday not opened fire on Afghan or NATO forces within, according to The Telegraph.
The Kabul airport has been a scene of mayhem and panic since the Taliban overran the Afghan capital on Aug. 15 as American and other Western nations try to evacuate citizens and at-risk Afghans.
On Sunday, Taliban militants struck back crowds at the airport, a day after seven Afghan civilians were killed in a crash at the airport gates as the deadline for the pullout of international military personnel nears.
Speaking at the White House Sunday, United States President Joe Biden said he hoped the withdrawal would not be extended but said discussions are underway to examine that course of action.
Biden is raising worries that the Islamic State poses a threat as U.S. soldiers seek to evacuate thousands of American nationals and allies from Afghanistan, including Afghans.
Biden said around 11,000 individuals have been evacuated from Afghanistan's capital city over the weekend and said he remains committed to helping all U.S. nationals who want to leave the country get out safely.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will personally ask Biden on Tuesday for a delay to the airlift of American military service members in Afghanistan.
The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan last week as the U.S. and its allies pulled out troops following a two-decade war whose primary objective was to defeat the Taliban and hunt down al Qaeda terror members after the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S.
The Taliban has slammed the U.S. evacuations and the ongoing chaos at the Kabul airport, saying the U.S., with all its power and military equipment, has failed to bring security and order to the airport, Amir Khan Mutaqi, a Taliban official, said.
