US and other troops working to clear airport to allow evacuation flights to resume; at least three people apparently fell to their deaths after clinging to moving plane
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Turkey has dropped its plans for its soldiers to take control of Kabul airport because of the “total chaos” after NATO’s withdrawal, two Turkish security sources told Reuters.
“However, in the event the Taliban asks for technical support, Turkey can provide security and technical support at the airport,” said one of the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Guardian view on Afghanistan: unnecessary suffering
Earlier this year, a bipartisan panel appointed by the US Congress advised against the “precipitous withdrawal” of American troops from Afghanistan. The panel warned of grave consequences if Joe Biden allowed himself to be driven by dates and a strict timeline, rather than a realistic assessment of conditions on the ground. Mr Biden, who had inherited a 1 May exit deadline from Donald Trump, ignored this advice, naming instead a new date. All US forces would be gone by 11 September, exactly two decades after the invasion prompted by the al-Qaida attack on the World Trade Center.
Related: The Guardian view on Afghanistan: unnecessary suffering | Editorial
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