As Kabul international airport was plunged into chaos, becoming the only way out of the country for thousands of Afghans desperate to escape Taliban rule, the US announced it would be taking over air traffic control at the airport to speed up the evacuation of Americans as well as allied Afghans.

"Over the next 48 hours, we will have expanded our security presence to nearly 6,000 troops, with a mission focused solely on facilitating these efforts and will be taking over air traffic control."

The backup troops will be used to streamline the evacuation of "thousands" of Americans that have resided in Afghanistan, local US embassy employees, as well as "other particularly vulnerable Afghan nationals."

"Thousands of Afghans" that qualify for special immigrant visas will also be evacuated. All those who have passed security checks will be flown directly to the US, while others will be moved to "additional locations" where they can wait to be cleared.

Panicked residents, fearing repercussions under Taliban rule, clogged city streets with cars in a last-minute attempt to reach the airport. Footage circulating online shows large groups of people flocking to the airport's entrance as shots rang out in the background. The gunfire reportedly led to the suspension of all commercial flights, leaving it up to military planes to evacuate stranded residents. Armored trucks were spotted on the tarmac, cruising through the crowds, as US servicemen were seen establishing a security сordon around the airport.

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According to Associate Press, the jumble at the airport started on Saturday in anticipation of the Taliban's approach, with many in the city hoping to fly out of the country. The same day, all commercial flights from the airport were suspended, with only military aircraft allowed to fly.

NATO said in a statement on Sunday that it would continue carrying out operations at the Kabul airport to keep Afghanistan connected with the world, and to "facilitate and coordinate evacuations," according to a tweet from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Several people have been killed after attempting to hold on to a plane ferrying evacuees out of Afghanistan's capital:

Biden, who said Afghan forces had to fight back against the Islamist Taliban, was due to speak on Afghanistan at 1945 GMT (3:45 p.m. EDT) after returning from the presidential retreat at Camp David.

He is facing a barrage of criticism, from even his own diplomats, over his handling of the U.S. exit, pulling out troops and then sending back thousands to help with the evacuation.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Twitter:

"If President Biden truly has no regrets about his decision to withdraw, then he is disconnected from reality when it comes to Afghanistan."

Republican Representative Jim Banks, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, told Fox News:

"We have never seen an American leader abdicate his responsibilities and leadership like Joe Biden has. He's in hiding. The lights are on at the White House, but nobody's home. Where is Joe Biden?"

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said U.S. forces were working with Turkish and other international troops to clear Kabul airport to allow international evacuation flights to resume.

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Iran says it will impose a six-day-long "general lockdown" in cities across the country after being hit by what it describes as its fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, state media has reported.

The lockdown includes all bazaars, markets and public offices, as well as movie theatres, gyms and restaurants in all Iranian cities. It will begin on Monday and will last through to Saturday.

The national coronavirus taskforce, which issued the decision, also ordered a travel ban between all Iranian cities from Sunday to Friday.
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So far, authorities have avoided imposing heavy handed rules on a population badly equipped to bear them. Iran, which has had the worst virus outbreak in the region, is reeling from a series of crises: tough US sanctions, global isolation, a heat wave, the worst blackouts in recent memory and ongoing protests over water and electricity shortages.

Iran'ssupreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, in January slammed shut any possibility of vaccines made in the US or UK entering the country, calling them "forbidden".

For now, the majority of Iranians receiving vaccines rely on foreign-made shots. A health ministry spokesperson said Iran could import western vaccines "as long as they're not produced in the US or Britain".

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