The Taliban are on the brink of victory in Afghanistan, after their fighters entered the capital Kabul and seized the presidential palace.

The government has collapsed, with President Ashraf Ghani fleeing abroad.

Kabul descended into chaos, as residents and foreign nationals tried to escape.

For many Afghans it was a terrifying day that marked the return of Taliban rule almost 20 years after they were ousted by a US-led coalition.

At the capital's international airport, an eyewitness told the BBC that staff had abandoned their desks and people were running to planes.

Kabul was the last major city in Afghanistan to hold out against the Taliban offensive, which began months ago but has accelerated in the space of days.

The militants were able to seize control after most foreign troops pulled out.

US President Joe Biden has defended the withdrawal of American troops, saying he could not justify an "endless American presence in the middle of another country's civil conflict".