Celebratory gunfire erupted across the Kabul as the US confirmed its final evacuation flight out of the Afghan capital.
Video footage shows rounds and fireworks being shot off into the air, marking the end of 20 years of war with the West.
Taliban militants were seen entering the airport after the last US troops took off a minute before midnight, right before its self-imposed Tuesday deadline.
The Islamist group’s spokesperson said: ‘The last U.S. soldier has left Kabul airport and our country gained complete independence.’
It marks the end of a hasty and humiliating exit for Washington and its NATO allies with Afghanistan’s new rulers in a stronger position than it was in 2001.
Hemad Sherzad, a Taliban fighter stationed at the airport, said early Tuesday the last five U.S. planes departed around midnight.
That would mark the end of a massive airlift that has allowed more than 116,000 people to leave since the Taliban swept back into power two weeks ago.
Earlier yesterday, Islamic State militants fired a volley of rockets at Kabul’s rapidly emptying international airport without hurting anyone. All day, U.S. military cargo jets came and went despite the attack.
The Taliban had earlier released a video shot from the airport’s grounds, saying the Americans had removed or destroyed most of their equipment and that troop numbers were far lower.
Many Afghans remain fearful of them or further instability, and there have been sporadic reports of killings and other abuses in areas under Taliban control despite pledges to restore peace and security.
In the last 24 hours, the American military evacuated about 1,200 people on 26 C-17 flights, while two coalition flights flew out 50 others, the White House said.
The two-week airlift has brought scenes of desperation and horror. In the early days, people desperate to flee Taliban rule flooded onto the tarmac and some fell to their deaths after clinging to a departing aircraft.
On Thursday, an Islamic State suicide attack at an airport gate killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 US service members.
The extremist group is far more radical than the Taliban, who captured most of Afghanistan in a matter of days.
The two groups have fought each other before, and the Taliban have pledged to not harbor terrorist groups.
However Al-Qaeda arms supplier Amin ul-Haq, a former close aide of Osama bin Laden, returned to Afghanistan hours before the final withdrawal of US troops.
The Taliban tightened their security cordon around the airport after yesterday’s attack, clearing away massive crowds of Afghans who were desperate to flee the country in the waning days of the U.S.-led airlift.
A crowd quickly gathered Monday around the remains of a four-door sedan used in the rocket attack. The car had what appeared to be six homemade rocket tubes mounted in place of its back seats.
Jaiuddin Khan, who lives nearby, said: ‘I was inside the house with my children and other family members. Suddenly there were some blasts. We jumped into the house compound and lay on the ground.’
Some of the rockets landed across town, striking residential apartment blocks, witnesses said.
Fortunately no injuries were reported, as a counter-artillery system targeted the rockets in a whirling hail of ammunition, US Navy Capt. Bill Urban said.
An IS statement, carried by the group’s Amaq media outlet, claimed the militants fired six rockets.
Planes took off about every 20 minutes at one point Monday morning. One C-17 landing in the afternoon shot off flares as it approached – a maneuver to protect against heat-seeking missiles and a sign the US military remains concerned about surface-to-air missiles loose in the country.
Smoke from several fires along the airport’s perimeter could be seen. It wasn’t clear what was ablaze, although US forces typically destroy material and equipment they don’t take with them.
The airport had been one of the few ways out for foreigners and Afghans fleeing the Taliban.
However, coalition nations have halted their evacuations in recent days, leaving the US military largely alone there with some remaining allied Afghan forces.
The US State Department released a statement Sunday signed by about 100 countries, as well as NATO and the European Union, saying they had received ‘assurances’ from the Taliban that people with travel documents would still be able to leave.
The Taliban have said they will allow normal travel as the US withdrawal is completed and they take control of the airport.
However, it is unclear how the militants will run the airport and which commercial carriers will begin flying in, given the ongoing security concerns.
Qatar confirmed yesterday that the Gulf country has been taking part in negotiations about operations at the airport with Afghan and international parties, mainly the US and Turkey.
The US ally, which has also long hosted a Taliban political office, said its main priority is maintaining security at the airport and securing regular operations.
The Taliban have honored a pledge not to attack Western forces so long as they evacuate by Tuesday, but IS remains a threat.
The US carried out a drone strike Saturday that it said killed two IS members.
American officials said a U.S. drone strike on Sunday blew up a vehicle carrying IS suicide bombers who were planning to attack the airport.
But relatives say six children who had nothing to do with the extremist group were among the dead.
Najibullah Ismailzada said his brother-in-law, Zemarai Ahmadi, 38, had just arrived home from his job working with a Korean charity.
As he drove into the garage, his children came out to greet him, and that’s when the missile struck.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. military takes steps to avoid civilian casualties when carrying out targeted strikes
He added: ‘Of course, the loss of life from anywhere is horrible, and it impacts families no matter where they’re living, in the United States or around the world.’
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