CNN’s Clarissa Ward has continued to report from on the ground in Kabul, Afghanistan this week following the Taliban’s takeover, and according to the correspondent, violence is increasing. During an on-air report Wednesday, Ward said member of her own team was nearly pistol whipped by Taliban fighters.
Ward was reporting on the number of people trying to flee Afghanistan right now, noting that many “accosted” her and her team seeking help. Ward added how heartbreaking the scene was for CNN’s team, before revealing a scarier moment.
“The most frightening moment for our team came when our producer Brent Swails was taking some video on his iPhone,” she said. “Two Taliban fighters just came up with their pistols and they were ready to pistol-whip him. We had to intervene and scream and it was actually another Taliban fighter who came in and said, ‘No no no, don’t do that, they’re journalists.’”
Ward then went into further detail on the chaos that is happening in the streets of Afghanistan right now, saying that it’s near impossible for people to get out, even with the proper documentation and credentials.
“I mean, really, I’ve covered all sorts of crazy situations. This was mayhem,” Ward added. “This was nuts. This is impossible for an ordinary civilian, even if they have their paperwork. No way they’re running that gauntlet. No way they’re going to be able to navigate that. It’s very dicey.”
Just before wrapping up her report, Ward added that “Honestly, to me it’s a miracle that more people haven’t been very, very seriously hurt.”
You can watch Clarissa Ward’s full report in the video above.
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