On Sunday, panicked civilians had scrambled up the loading ramp, the website quoted a US official as saying, but the crew decided it was best to take off rather than force the Afghans off the plane, according to BBC.
The faces, many males but with some women and children, look up towards the camera, their expressions a mixture of anxiety and possibly some relief
The number onboard – 640 – is among the highest carried by that type of plane, a C-17 Globe-master.
Some have questioned why it is predominantly men seen at the airport.
One explanation is that many women have been staying indoors, fearing how they will be treated by the Taliban.
Between 20,000 and 30,000 are thought to be fleeing across borders every week, the UNHCR’s Afghanistan representative, Caroline Van Buren, told CNN. And government figures suggest 120,000 moved to Kabul as Taliban forces closed in.
the turmoil in Afghanistan has raised fears in Europe of a new influx of refugees. Consequently, Turkey has decided to build a concrete wall at its border with Iran in interest of security
