With Kabul airport closed, fearful Afghans rush for the border

Thousands seen at border crossings with Pakistan, Iran; crowds gather at banks in Kabul

Crowds looking to flee Afghanistan flocked to its borders while long queues formed at banks on Wednesday, as an administrative vacuum after the Taliban's takeover left foreign donors unsure of how to respond to a looming humanitarian crisis.
 

The Islamist militia focused on keeping banks, hospitals and government machinery running after the final withdrawal of U.S.

forces on Monday brought an end to a massive airlift of Afghans who had helped Western nations during the 20-year war.

With Kabul's airport inoperable, private efforts to help Afghans fearful of Taliban reprisals focused on arranging safe passage across the land-locked nation’s borders with Iran,