The statements made by the Taliban spokesman on Tuesday evening caused confusion.

On the one hand, Zabihullah Mujahid said that the Taliban would no longer allow Afghan citizens to leave the country after August 31.

On the other hand, he announced: “The road to Kabul airport is closed.

Foreigners can get through, Afghans are not allowed to use the road. ”That sounded as if the departure ban for Afghans would apply immediately.

Friederike Böge

Political correspondent for China, North Korea and Mongolia.

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The situation remained confusing on Wednesday as well.

“You can no longer go through.

Instead, selected people are ordered to a meeting place and then escorted to the airport in minibuses, ”an employee of an international organization in Kabul told the FAZ

Killed or injured at least 20 people

The Taliban had justified the measure with the fact that people could be injured or killed in the crowd in front of the gates of the airport. In fact, according to the Reuters news agency, at least twenty people had died this way in the past few days. Thousands had gathered in front of the airport gates, including many people who had no travel documents and no permit to fly. They had made it difficult for local staff and other vulnerable people to get into the airport. “Of course it's safer to drive than to fight your way through the crowd. But that only applies if the Taliban cooperate and guarantee that they will not harass or arrest Afghans, ”said the international organization staff member.

The anonymity of the crowd was an advantage for those who feared being recognized and arrested by the Taliban. In the Bundeswehr circles in Kabul, the assessment was even expressed on Wednesday that the chances of getting Afghans into the airport were minimal.

Before that, people who wanted to go to the airport had to pass several Taliban checkpoints. However, many reported in the past few days that their documents had not been checked. It is different now. A reporter from the Al Jazeera broadcaster reported on Wednesday: "The situation has changed overnight." The Taliban had set up new checkpoints in front of the airport gates. Only people would be allowed through who could show a foreign passport, a valid visa or an invitation from the United States or another NATO country.

Even then, however, passage does not seem to be guaranteed.

The journalist and author Anand Gopal reported on Twitter that several convoys that wanted to get to the airport had recently been turned back by the Taliban.

"The Taliban will not allow them to drive through without US approval from inside the airport," he wrote.

A Los Angeles Times reporter interviewed Taliban security guards guarding one of the airport gates.

The leader of the group had assured that Afghans with a "valid visa" would be allowed through.

The street in front of the gate is suddenly empty

On the video that he posted on the Internet, you can see that the street in front of the gate, which was still full of people on Tuesday, is empty. Dozens of heavily armed security forces stand in front of it. It is quite possible that many Afghans do not dare to go to the airport for fear of arrest. So the new measures should also be a form of deterrence. The Taliban spokesman made it clear on Tuesday evening that the new rulers were concerned about the departure of thousands of qualified specialists and were trying to prevent another so-called brain drain.

Another Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, put Zabihullah Mujahid's testimony into perspective on Wednesday. This only related to rescue flights by foreign armed forces. After August 31, civil aviation could resume and Afghans with valid papers could travel. However, many Afghans do not have a valid passport. This was evident in the days before the fall of Kabul, when thousands stood in line at the passport authority. Now it is completely closed.

Shaheen apparently felt compelled to clarify because the misleading words of the Mujahid had caused panic in Kabul. "We have reached the end of the flagpole," said an Afghan who wanted to leave the FAZ. Another was first called to the airport and on the way received the message: "The airport gates have just been closed."