The sound of gunfire reverberated around us – with Afghans desperate to get out of Kabul
As soon as the Taliban made their move on Kabul, as soon as their fighters started to appear on the streets, it was clear those most scared of their arrival would try to escape. With the city completely surrounded, the airport was the only place to go.
Even as we drove down the airport road towards the complex gates, hundreds of people had gathered trying to push their way inside.
Within hours that number had grown to thousands, by morning they were on the tarmac. The US and British military were overwhelmed.
Afghanistan live updates: All the latest as the Taliban establish new government
The hastily drawn up evacuation plans for thousands of foreigners and their Afghan workers slowly but surely fell apart.
From a rooftop we watched a US transporter plane approach Kabul airport through the late afternoon sun, Apache helicopters circling, watching the runway, checking if it was clear and safe to land.
Even a reaper drone had been dispatched to oversee the plane’s arrival.
But we watched as a decision was clearly made to abort the landing and the plane pulled away into the bright blue skies as gunfire crackled around us.
The reason is clear – utter pandemonium on the entire airfield, hundreds of Afghans having breached all security, swarming around air force planes, attempting to clamber onboard.
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Civilians evacuated by plane from Kabul
It’s desperate stuff and they are desperate to get out of this country – destination anywhere but here.
It was chaos outside the terminal as well, thousands had descended on to the airport road.
It was clogged up with people and vehicles.
A Taliban fighter pictured outside Kabul airport
Both the Afghan army and the Taliban were firing shots into the air at separate parts of the airport complex, trying to push the crowds back.
The airport is surrounded by huge blast walls, but people clambered up them, trying to make their way through gaps in the cement.
Throughout the day the sound of gunfire reverberated around us.
Two Apache helicopters circled above monitoring the source of the shooting – an overwatch of the mayhem below – and at times there was a clear exchange of fire – by whom remains unknown to us.
In contrast, the city proper remains remarkably calm. It is awash with Taliban fighters and to all intents and purposes they control every district.
People were seen clinging to a plane taking off from the international airport in Kabul
Sky News filmed Taliban fighters on street corners and at intersections as they oversaw Kabul’s residents going about their day. Slowly but surely the capital was coming back to life after being deserted.
It’s still quiet by Kabul standards, but that is changing.
What’s striking is the amount of sophisticated equipment the Taliban have taken from the Afghan military – rows of armoured personnel carriers, Humvees and trucks are parked on major roads across the city.
The fighters patrol around town in their traditional pick-up trucks all armed to the teeth for a battle they have actually won.
Other fighters passed through their checkpoints in their newly-acquired military vehicles.
Qari Bashir, in his new special forces helmet, told us that people in Kabul are getting used to the idea of a new reformed Taliban.
“Alhamdulillah the security is now good, and the people are very happy.”
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Explainer: How will nearby countries adapt?
“Before we arrived, people thought that the mujahideen would steal their property and thought we would harm them, but now they see us and feel free, and all the markets are open,” he said.
The truth is that thousands, maybe even millions of people here – and much of the international community – don’t believe the Taliban have changed their ways, or forgive people with links to foreign powers. They however disagree.
“We assure people that there won’t be any problems for them, they should start living their normal lives, the Emirate announced amnesty for them yesterday,” Mulawi Rahmani, a Taliban fighter stationed outside the presidential palace, said.
While the Taliban creates its new government and the world watches on, the effort to remove foreigners and their Afghan employees continues.
The truth is that in the chaos the foreigners will be the priority.
And like Afghanistan itself – the Afghans will likely be left behind.
Around 14 million people could die across the world over the next five years because of cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), researchers have warned.
Children under five are expected to make up around a third (4.5 million) of the mortalities, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal.
Estimates showed that “unless the abrupt funding cuts announced and implemented in the first half of 2025 are reversed, a staggering number of avoidable deaths could occur by 2030”.
“Beyond causing millions of avoidable deaths – particularly among the most vulnerable – these cuts risk reversing decades of progress in health and socioeconomic development in LMICs [low and middle-income countries],” the report said.
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March: ‘We are going to lose children’: Fears over USAID cuts in Kenya
USAID programmes have prevented the deaths of more than 91 million people, around a third of them among children, the study suggests.
The agency’s work has been linked to a 65% fall in deaths from HIV/AIDS, or 25.5 million people.
Eight million deaths from malaria, more than half the total, around 11 million from diarrheal diseases and nearly five million from tuberculosis (TB), have also been prevented.
USAID has been vital in improving global health, “especially in LMICs, particularly African nations,” according to the report.
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Established in 1961, the agency was tasked with providing humanitarian assistance and helping economic growth in developing countries, especially those deemed strategic to Washington.
But the Trump administration has made little secret of its antipathy towards the agency, which became an early victim of cuts carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – formerly led by Elon Musk – in what the US government said was part of a broader plan to remove wasteful spending.
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USAID explained
USAID ‘a bowl of worms’ – Musk
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What is USAID?
In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 80% of USAID schemes had been closed following a six-week review, leaving around 1,000 active.
The US is the world’s largest humanitarian aid donor, providing around $61bn (£44bn) in foreign assistance last year, according to government data, or at least 38% of the total, and USAID is the world’s leading donor for humanitarian and development aid, the report said.
Between 2017 and 2020, the agency responded to more than 240 natural disasters and crises worldwide – and in 2016 it sent food assistance to more than 53 million people across 47 countries.
The study assessed all-age and all-cause mortality rates in 133 countries and territories, including all those classified as low and middle-income, supported by USAID from 2001 to 2021.
Thailand’s prime minister has been suspended after a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian politician caused outrage.
An ethics investigation into Paetongtarn Shinawatra is under way and she could end up being dismissed.
The country’s constitutional court took up a petition from 36 senators, who claimed dishonesty and a breach of ethical standards, and voted 7 to 2 to suspend her.
Protesters gathered in Bangkok at the weekend. Pic: Reuters
The prime minister’s call with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen, sparked public protests after she tried to appease him and criticised a Thai army commander – a taboo move in a country where the military is extremely influential.
Ms Shinawatra was trying to defuse mounting tensions at the border – which in May resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier.
Thousands of conservative, nationalist protesters held a demo in Bangkok on Saturday to urge her to step down.
Her party is clinging on to power after another group withdrew from their alliance a few weeks ago over the phone call. Calls for a no-confidence vote are likely.
Deputy prime minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit will take over temporarily while the court looks into the case.
The 38-year-old prime minister – Thailand‘s youngest ever leader – has 15 days to respond to the probe. She has apologised and said her approach in the call was a negotiating tactic.
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The popularity of her government has slumped recently, with an opinion poll showing an approval rating of 9.2%, down from 30.9% in March.
Ms Shinawatra comes from a wealthy dynasty synonymous with Thai politics.
Her father Thaksin Shinawatra – a former Manchester City owner – and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra served as prime minister before her – in the early to mid 2000s – and their time in office also ended ignominiously amid corruption charges and military coups.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials.
The visit on 7 July comes after Mr Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week.
On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”
At least 60 people killed across Gaza on Monday, in what turned out to be some of the heaviest attacks in weeks.
Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Donald Trump during a previous meeting. Pic: Reuters
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56,500 people have been killed in the 20-month war.
The visit by Mr Netanyahu to Washington has not been formally announced and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke on condition of anonymity.
An Israeli official in Washington also confirmed the meeting next Monday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was in constant communication with the Israeli government.
She said Mr Trump viewed ending the war in Gaza and returning remaining hostages held by Hamas as a top priority.
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The war in Gaza broke out in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw a further 250 taken hostage.
An eight-week ceasefire was reached in the final days of Joe Biden’s US presidency, but Israel resumed the war in March after trying to get Hamas to accept new terms on next steps.
Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire.
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