A crying infant who was passed over barbed wire to US troops on a perimeter wall as Afghans desperately tried to flee the Taliban has been reunited with their father, Marines say.
Heartbreaking footage of the baby taken on the outskirts of Kabul airport went viral and became an image of the desperation.
But now reports say the child has been cared for by medics, is back with their dad and safe.
"The baby seen in the video was taken to a medical treatment facility on site and cared for by medical professionals," Major Jim Stenger told CBS News.
"I can confirm the baby was reunited with their father and is safe at the airport.
"This is a true example of the professionalism of the Marines on site, who are making quick decisions in a dynamic situation in support of evacuation operations."
The video, taken by Omar Haidari, showed the baby being passed up to US troops standing on a wall enclosing Hamid Karzai International Airport, which is topped with razor wire.
In the clip, published by VICE World News, a soldier could be heard saying “I got you, I got you,” as the baby was grasped firmly by one of its arms before being hoisted over the brutal-looking wire.
According to VICE reports, the father ran back to help the baby’s mother, who had been injured in the crowd, after handing the baby over to US troops.
The baby was only given to Marines to get medical attention and not, as it was thought initially, passed over to board a flight, The Daily Mail reports.
The Marines then returned the baby back to the dad.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said "no nation will be able to get everyone out" of Afghanistan as he confirmed Kabul airport has had to be closed to new arrivals due to overcrowding.
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But the Cabinet minister looked to assure those who are almost certain to be left behind that the UK will continue to work to repatriate them even once troops are home.
Writing for the Mail on Sunday, the Cabinet minister called the retreat of allied forces "unedifying" and warned that the events of the past weeks "will have consequences for us all for years to come".
He also praised the 1,000 UK service personnel situated in Afghanistan for "risking their lives" to help with the evacuation efforts, and said he was keen to work out a way for Britain to "keep a presence" in the Taliban-controlled country even after military rescue efforts are over.
"The Parachute Regiment at the airport are dealing with unimaginable challenges - public order, overcrowding, searing heat and desperate people," he said.
"Soldiers trained for war are instead holding babies and co-ordinating crowds."
