Shops, markets remain closed in Kabul as people crowd airport

Shops, markets and schools remained closed on Monday in the Afghan capital of Kabul, and earlier in the day thousands of people crowded the Kabul airport, trying to leave the country, reported Xinhua.

Taliban militants were seen on the street, but it seemed that they were not enough to maintain law and order as looting took place in some military institutions and stolen military vehicles roamed the streets.

In the morning, some schools were open because students had exams, but were advised to close until the situation gets better.

All commercial flights from the Kabul airport have been cancelled, said a statement of Afghanistan's civil aviation authority released on Monday.

"All the flights from Kabul airport have been temporarily cancelled and the passengers should not come to the airport until informed," the statement said.

The cancellation of the flights took place in the wake of Kabul's fall to the Taliban on Sunday and the mass migration of Afghans amid fears.

The civil aviation authority in the statement expressed hope for early restoration of normalcy, noting that the massive rushing of passengers to the airport in the chaotic situation could lead to looting and other disorderly situation.

The civil aviation authority has been trying to resume the flights as soon as possible, the statement said.

The scheduled Air India (AI) flight that was to fly from Delhi's airport to Kabul Monday afternoon has been suspended as the airspace over Afghanistan was closed for all flights, a spokesman of the carrier said on Monday.

The spokesman said earlier in the day that the AI flight would fly to Kabul as per its schedule. However, due to the reported violence at the Kabul airport leading to a couple of killings, airspace over Kabul was closed and subsequently all flights, taking off and landings, were cancelled.

"Airspace over Afghanistan is declared closed, so no aircraft can operate there. Our scheduled flight to Kabul also cannot go," the spokesman said in a written message.

Taliban meanwhile in a statement told Kabul residents that their lives and properties are safe and they can carry on their work.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday night, while the Taliban forces entered the capital of Kabul and took control of the presidential palace.

The Taliban has assured that all the diplomatic missions and foreign citizens in Kabul will face no dangers. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they are committed to ensuring security in the Afghan capital.

The group has taken control of all the districts of Kabul, Taliban spokesman Mujahid said.

Another Taliban spokesperson has said the war in Afghanistan is over, and a new power structure will soon be clear.

A curfew has been imposed in Kabul starting 21:00 local time on Sunday to prevent violence.