Reuters
- Afghanistan cannot send its two-member Paralympic team to the Tokyo Games amid a Taliban resurgence.
- The team was due to fly to Tokyo this week, but with Kabul's airport shut they are stuck in the country.
- Afghanistan was set to send a first ever female Paralympian, Zakia Khudadadi, to the games.
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Afghanistan will not be sending a team to the Tokyo Paralympics after its athletes were trapped in the country following the Taliban's reemergence following the exit of Western forces.
The Taliban seized control of the capital city of Kabul on Sunday after the US began withdrawing its forces from the area. The country's president has fled and chaotic scenes are playing out at the capital's airport and across the city.
Two athletes were due to represent Afghanistan at the Paralympics – which start on Tuesday August 24.
They are now unable to leave the country after all international airports were closed, meaning there is no way to Japan.
"Due to the serious ongoing situation in the country, all airports are closed and there is no way for them to travel to Tokyo," the International Paralympic Committee said, per NPR.
"We hope the team and officials remain safe and well during this difficult time."
The two athletes set to travel to Tokyo both compete in taekwondo. Hossain Rasouli and Zakia Khudadadi were both to make their Paralympic debuts. Khudadadi would have become the first female Paralympian in Afghanistan's history.
Afghanistan has appeared at every Paralympics since 20004. It was banned from competing during the Sydney Olympics in 2000 because of international condemnation of the then-ruling Taliban's treatment of women.
Amid the Taliban resurgence, thousands of Afghans have been attempting to flee the country, with desperate citizens flooding the airport and even climbing onto the outside of moving planes as they try to get out.