Kabul airport suspends operations till further notice

New Delhi: All flights to and from the Kabul International Airport have been suspended until further notice due to large crowds seeking to flee Afghanistan, the national civil aviation authority said in a statement issued on Monday.

"All flights at the Hamid Karzai International Airport are suspended until further notice. Passengers looking to fly to different regions around the country and abroad will be notified in advance when flights will be resumed. These measures are taken to avoid crowds and unrest in the airport," read a statement published on the agency's Facebook page, Tass reported.

The statement also stresses that the Afghan aviation authorities "are working hard for domestic and international flights to and from the Kabul airport to resume as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, quoting a spokesman of the Taliban, an IANS report said that the Taliban will not extend the August 31 deadline for the current evacuation mission,

Taliban spokesman, Muhammad Suhail Shaheen told BBC amid reports that the UK will press for a deadline extension for international evacuations beyond August 31.

"Foreign forces should withdraw on the deadline they have announced earlier. Otherwise, it is a clear violation," Shaheen said.

The spokesman added the Taliban's reaction to such a move would be a decision for the group's leadership. Thousands of Afghans are continuing to try and flee the country ahead of the end-of-the-month deadline, with much citing fear of life under Taliban rule.

It is unclear whether international flights will be allowed in and out of the country once international forces leave and cease control of the airport.

The situation at the Kabul airport has remained tense ever since the Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours on August 15.