(Islamabad) Hundreds of Afghans, including women and children, rushed to Kabul airport after a false rumor spread that flights were leaving for Turkey to help rescue victims of the earthquake.
Videos and photos posted on social media since Wednesday showed dozens of desperate people running on foot in the dark and cold towards the airport.
The scene dates back to August 2021, when thousands of desperate people stormed the airport in an attempt to flee the country following the Taliban takeover. Life in Afghanistan has only gotten worse with the onset of winter, limitations on women and crushing poverty.
“I heard that Turkey was taking people away, so I thought I could go and help people in need,” said Abdul Ghafar, 26, a Kabul resident who rushed to the airport Wednesday.
“It can also be an opportunity for me to find a way out of the country,” he adds.
He waited three hours in cold weather near the airport, returning home after Taliban forces said there were no such flights to Turkey.
Khalid Zadran, spokesman for the Kabul police chief, said no such theft existed. He mentioned that the situation was back to normal on Thursday morning. He asked people not to disturb public order with “baseless lies”.
In a statement, the Taliban government expressed condolences to Turkey and Syria for the tragedy, in which at least 16,000 people were killed. The government announced a financial contribution of nearly $150,000 to Turkey and about $75,000 to Syria.