This is the moment Afghan security forces appeared to fire warning shots at an airport in Kabul.

Footage from August 19 shows several uniformed men at the Hamid Karzai International Airport firing their guns in the air and sending panicked locals, desperate to flee from Taliban rule, in a frenzy.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said more than 3,000 people have been evacuated from the airport. Meanwhile, Pentagon officials said about 6,000 American troops are expected to be at the airport to assist with security, along with up to 600 members of the Afghan security forces.

The Taliban seized Kabul on August 15, settling into the presidential palace after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

A Taliban spokesman said the war was ‘over’ and that the militants have accomplished their objective or retaking the Middle East country following two decades of western occupation started by former leaders George Bush and Tony Blair.

Mohammad Naeem said: ‘We have reached what we were seeking, which is the freedom of our country and the independence of our people. We will not allow anyone to use our lands to target anyone, and we do not want to harm others.’

The U.S. State Department said there has been no formal transfer of power from the Afghan government to the Taliban, but declined to say if Ghani was still recognised as Afghanistan’s president.