Agencies (16 August 2021 – Afghanistan government collapsed on Sunday as the Taliban entered into Kabul and assumed control of the Afghan capital and took over the presidential palace.
Several reports suggested President Ashraf Ghani left the country and that the Taliban will soon proclaim the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Several countries are scrambling to evacuate diplomatic and other personnel from Afghanistan even as hundreds of people flocked to the Kabul airport in an attempt to leave the country after the Taliban claimed control over the Afghan capital.
Here are the latest developments after the Taliban took over Kabul:
- The United States, along with 65 nations, has urged the resurgent Taliban to let Afghans leave the country, warning of accountability for any abuses. “The United States joins the international community in affirming that Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so,” secretary of state Antony Blinken tweeted as the state department released the joint statement. “Those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan bear responsibility — and accountability — for the protection of human life,” the joint statement said.
- Afghan leaders have created a coordination council to meet with the Taliban and manage the transfer of power. Former president Hamid Karzai said in a statement the body will be led by the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, as well as the leader of Hizb-e-Islami, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, and himself.
- The spokesman for the Taliban’s political office on Sunday declared the war was over in Afghanistan and called for peaceful relations with the international community. Mohammad Naeem said in interviews with Al Jazeera TV the Taliban did not want to live in isolation and the type of rule and the form of there regime would be clear soon. The group respected women’s and minorities’ rights and freedom of expression within Sharia law, Naeem added.
- The spokesman for the Taliban’s political office on Sunday declared the war was over in Afghanistan and called for peaceful relations with the international community. Mohammad Naeem said in interviews with Al Jazeera TV the Taliban did not want to live in isolation and the type of rule and the form of there regime would be clear soon. The group respected women’s and minorities’ rights and freedom of expression within Sharia law, Naeem added.
- US officials said they are taking steps to secure Kabul’s international airport to enable the safe departure of thousands of American and allied personnel from Afghanistan by way of civilian and military flights.
- In a joint statement Sunday night, the State Department and the Pentagon said the US security presence will have expanded to nearly 6,000 troops over the next two days. Those forces will take over air traffic control and focus on civilian and military departures.
- A Taliban spokesperson and negotiator told The Associated Press that the Islamist group is holding talks aimed at forming an “open, inclusive Islamic government” in Afghanistan.
- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting on Afghanistan on Monday morning (10 am EDT) after Estonia and Norway requested one. UN secretary general Antonio Guterres will brief council members on the latest situation following the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
- Kabul’s international airport has been closed to commercial flights even as military evacuations continued, officials told AP on condition of anonymity.
- Hundreds of Afghans protested outside the White House as they blamed US President Joe Biden for betraying the people of the war-torn country. They also demanded sanctioning Pakistan.
- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said more than 550,000 people in Afghanistan have fled their homes due to the conflict since the start of this year. About 126,000 people were displaced in the previous month to August 9, according to a situational update published on Sunday.