Photos and videos reveal crowded checkpoints, chaos at Kabul airport on day of the attack

He made his way through a canal near Abbey Gate, on the southeast side of Kabul’s airport. His leg with the metal rod ached as he waded through the putrid water. No matter the difficulty or danger in attempting to leave Afghanistan, he worried the consequences of staying would be much worse. At around 5 p.m., he was at the Abbey Gate in the canal, where U.S. troops were operating a checkpoint.