C-17 Evacuation of Afghan Civilians Following Collapse of Government to Taliban

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III safely transported approximately 640 Afghan citizens from Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 15, 2021. The evacuees were flown from Kabul to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar sat on the floor of the plane's cargo hold. This procedure is known as "floor loading" when the passengers hang onto cargo straps which are run from wall to wall and serve as makeshift seatbelts. Photo via U.S. Air Force/UPI