The Taliban are on the brink of victory in Afghanistan, after their fighters entered the capital Kabul and seized the presidential palace.
The government has collapsed, with President Ashraf Ghani fleeing abroad.
Kabul descended into chaos, as local residents and foreign nationals tried to escape.
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For many Afghans it was a terrifying day that marked the return of Taliban rule almost 20 years after they were ousted by a US-led coalition.
At the airport, an eyewitness said staff had abandoned their desks and people were running to planes.
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Kabul was the last major city in Afghanistan to hold out against the Taliban offensive, which began months ago but has accelerated in the space of days.
The group were able to seize control now that foreign troops have all but withdrawn.
US President Joe Biden has defended the withdrawal of American troops, saying he could not justify an “endless American presence in the middle of another country’s civil conflict”.
The Taliban ordered their fighters to enter Kabul on Sunday, after earlier holding them back at the outskirts of the city.
The Taliban said the militants were going in to prevent chaos and looting after security forces left parts of Kabul.
Footage broadcast by television network showed fighters inside the presidential palace, brandishing guns.
Photo Credit: Getty
