Afghanistan turmoilThe return of the Taliban
A reporter witnesses history on a three-month journey through Afghanistan
Taliban fighters patrol Kabul on Thursday, the 102nd anniversary of independence from Britain. The militant group used the occasion to declare victory over the U.S. © AP
KANIKA GUPTA, Contributing writer
August 20, 2021 21:27 JST
KANDAHAR/BAGRAM AIR BASE/KABUL, Afghanistan -- Kabul airport had fallen quiet at the moment I left, but the chaos of upended lives lay all around me on the tarmac. In horrific scenes the previous day, people had clung to a U.S. transport plane as it moved to take off and at least two dropped to their deaths after it was airborne.