The world watched in disbelief this week as the Taliban completed their take-over of Afghanistan. 20 years of war were undone in the space of a few weeks, as the Islamist group took swift advantage of the pull-out of the last few remaining coalition troops.

No one expected it to happen this fast, but the country is once again under the control of the extremist group that is infamous for its particular brand of ‘leadership’ and for harbouring terrorist organisations. 

But apart from the military and political ramifications, the Taliban take-over will most certainly trigger a humanitarian crisis as tens of thousands try to flee the country.

The group has announced an amnesty and urged women to join its government, seemingly in a departure from its old ways. But it is hard to believe that the much-feared organisation, known for decades of human rights abuses and crimes against women, has suddenly embraced feminism. It is very likely that the situation will return to pre-2001 times.

Many Afghans fear as much, as proven by the scenes of desperation at Kabul airport, with people clinging onto jet planes only to fall to their deaths from hundreds of feet up in the air. Scenes that were reminiscent of the horrific images of people jumping off the twin towers twenty years ago. It is ironic that the retaking of Afghanistan by the Taliban took place just a few weeks before the 20th anniversary of 9/11, which was the event that set in motion the war in Afghanistan.

The way the mission ended in complete and utter failure is a betrayal of all the soldiers and civilians killed over the past twenty years, proof that the trillions of dollars spent on trying to make the country better were flushed down the drain.

One wonders whether Afghanistan will once again become a breeding ground for terrorism, a staging point for attacks againt the West.

But this must not be used as an excuse to deny help to the thousands of helpless victims of this war, who are desperately trying to escape the hardship and terror that is sure to come.

The footage of people falling off those planes touched hearts around the world on Monday, but will we feel the same when the refugees start pouring out of the country?

Or will we just turn the other way and decide that this is ‘their’ problem?

Will the US and other coalition countries that left the country no better than it was 20 years ago do their part, or will they wash their hands of the unfolding humanitarian situation?

Will this be another Libya? Another Iraq, or Syria, where foreign military intervention obtains very limited goals but ultimately results in a refugee crisis? Absolutely. And Europe will feel the brunt of new migration flows coming from the East.

Europe and the US played their part in this war – a war which many warned would be unwinnable – and the inevitable has now happened. These countries knew what the consequences of a failed war would be – human tragedy and hardship, thousands fleeing in search for a better life.

They will surely not go back in to restore law and order. The least they can do is to send all the help they can muster to aid the poor people fleeing the conflict and the surrounding countries as they deal with an exodus of refugees.