Media: Taliban are keeping desperate evacuees from reaching Kabul's airport

Kabul's airport remains under US control but the surrounding roads are guarded by the Taliban. Witnesses have reported armed members of the group preventing people, including those with documents, from getting into the compound.

Reports say that the Taliban are keeping desperate evacuees from reaching Kabul's airport.

A total of 12 people have been killed in and around Kabul airport since Sunday, according to a Taliban official.

The official, who spoke anonymously to the Reuters news agency, said the deaths were caused by gunshots or stampedes.

He urged crowds at the gates to go home if they did not have the right to travel and said the Taliban "don't want to hurt" anyone at the airport.

A young woman in Kabul has just told me about her situation. The student has been an outspoken participant in conferences. Today she’s staying indoors.

“[The Taliban] have asked everyone to get back to work- but people are afraid they don’t want to get out of their homes. We are all trying to stay home.”