Chaotic scenes played out around Kabul airport again on Friday as thousands of people desperate to leave Afghanistan tried to get on one of the evacuation flights.
In the days since the Afghan capital fell to the Taliban, the United States has scrambled to secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport and evacuate US citizens and vulnerable Afghans amid the extremely fluid situation on the ground.
Military and diplomatic efforts are underway to press the Taliban to ensure safe passage for those trying to reach the airport, but for now the route there is fraught with uncertainty for Afghans looking to flee, as they must first make their way through often violent and arbitrary Taliban checks.
The US Embassy in Kabul has advised Americans that it "cannot ensure safe passage to the airport," and Defense and State Department officials have said they do not have the capacity to retrieve US citizens from Kabul and bring them to the airport for evacuation flights.
Those who are able to reach the airport perimeter have reported waiting hours to enter and the US Embassy advised in a recent security alert that "due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice."
"Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open," it said.
Afghans who make it through the gates are then subjected to further scrutiny by Afghan special forces, who are facing accusations of similar brutality.
Here's a look at a map of the Kabul airport and the areas controlled by the Taliban:
