Instability and chaos reigns in Afghanistan as Taliban overthrows government

HAYWARD, Calif. - There was panic in the streets of Kabul Monday.

As the Taliban moved in to the capital of Afghanistan, thousands including diplomats, translators, and journalists, attempted to get out.

Civilians tried to withdraw savings from the bank, tried to climb the fence at the airport, and some even tried hanging off U.S. military planes as they took off.

Seven people reportedly have died.

President Joe Biden, speaking to the American people, admits the swift fall of the government took his administration by surprise.

"The truth is this did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated," Biden said.

After 20 years of U.S. support and nearly a trillion dollars spent, Biden said he expected the Afghan military to stay and fight, not to flee.

But he stands by his decision to pull Americans out.

"Here's what I believe to my core. It is wrong to order American troops to step up when Afghanistan's own armed forces would not," he said.

In the Bay Area, the local Afghan community is saddened by what's happened.

Aisha Wahab is the first Afghan-American elected to public office in the U.S.

"I think President Biden is being very honest when he stated that the withdrawal had to happen. However, the execution of the withdrawal was a disaster to say the least," said Wahab, who sits on the Hayward City Council.

Wahab said she fears for those left behind, especially women and religious and ethnic minorities.

She said the fact that some would cling to the outside of a plane rather than stay, speaks volumes.

"They would prefer that over staying with the Taliban government. That sense of desperation is something no American will truly understand," she said.