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US Marine gives water to thirsty Afghan kids in viral video, lauded for 'kindness'

'Just be kind. Humanity is in the balance,' said a user, praising the US Marine

Amid a flurry of shocking videos of violence and brutality emerging from Afghanistan, a video clip of a US Marine has captured people's hearts. In a viral clip, an unnamed US soldier can be seen going around offering sips of water to thirsty kids — while their parents wait desperately in the scorching heat to escape the Taliban-dominated nation. The soldier can be spotted smiling at the children as a gesture of compassion. Meanwhile, the adults can be seen offering their gratitude to the empathetic soldier. 

In the recent past, similar instances of humanity by US soldiers deployed in Afghanistan have been captured on video. The country grapples under fear and chaos with the terrorist organization Taliban assuming power. Many citizens attempted to escape an inevitable future of oppression by latching onto retreating US military aircraft. As the Taliban put up a wall at the Kabul airport barring citizens from fleeing, many parents were seen handing over their infant children to US soldiers atop the barbed wires. Photos of US Marine Corps members playing and cheering up stranded children have also been captured. 

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The latest video clip surfaced amid President Joe Biden's declaration that nearly 28,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan so far. "The best thing you'll see all week: A US Marine makes the most of a terrible situation by sharing water with children as they wait to gain access to the airport in Kabul," journalist Joe Pompliano tweeted. "Just be kind. Humanity is in the balance," another user wrote.

A similar act of kindness was captured a few days ago at the Kabul International Airport, where another US Marine was giving water from his own bottle to a thirsty child. The photo was released by the official account of the US Marine Corps. "A US Marine provides fresh water to a child during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul," a user tweeted, sharing the photo.

The US military has been lauded for their selfless acts of bravery and kindness at a time when Afghanistan is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in decades. The Taliban takeover itself stemmed from the US government's decision to withdraw troops stationed in Afghanistan for 20 years. But, the military personnel have left no stones unturned to rescue and help the native people. In another instance, over 640 people were heroically evacuated by the US Air Force in an overcrowded Cargo plane, meant for carrying 134 people.