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Afghan tension

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Spokesman: Taliban to honor women's right within Islamic law

Hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)A Taliban spokesman has pledged to honor women’s rights, but within the norms of Islamic law.Zabihullah Mujahid made the comment Tuesday at his first news conference. His assertion that the Taliban would protect women’s rights comes after the Taliban’s earlier rule saw women’s lives and rights severely restricted.Mujahid also said the Taliban wanted private media to “remain independent,” but stressed journalists “should not work against national values.”Mujahid also stressed that Afghanistan would not allow itself to harbor anyone targeting other nations. That was a key demand in a deal the militants struck with the Trump administration in 2020 that led to the ultimate US withdraw under current President Joe Biden.He promised the group would secure Afghanistan after they took over the country following a blitz that lasted over a week.He said the Taliban sought no revenge and insisted that everyone had been pardoned by the Taliban, even if they worked with the former government or with foreign governments or forces.“We assure you that nobody will go to their doors to ask why they helped,” he said.
Taliban announces 'amnesty,' urges women to join government

The Taliban declared an "amnesty" across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country.Hundreds of people gather near a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane at a perimeter at the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)Following a blitz across Afghanistan that saw many cities fall to the insurgents without a fight, the Taliban have sought to portray themselves as more moderate than when they imposed a brutal rule in the late 1990s. But many Afghans remain skeptical.Older generations remember the Talibans ultraconservative Islamic views, which included severe restrictions on women as well as stonings, amputations and public executions before they were ousted by the U.S-led invasion that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.While there were no major reports of abuses or fighting in the capital of Kabul as the Taliban now patrol its streets, many residents have stayed home and remain fearful after the insurgents takeover saw prisons emptied and armories looted.The promises of amnesty from Enamullah Samangani, a member of the Talibans cultural commission, were the first comments on how the Taliban might govern on a national level. His remarks remained vague, however, as the Taliban are still negotiating with political leaders of the countrys fallen government and no formal handover deal has been announced."The Islamic Emirate doesnt want women to be victims," Samangani said, using the militants name for Afghanistan. "They should be in the government structure according to Shariah law."That would be a marked departure from the last time the Taliban were in power, when women were largely confined to their homes.Samangani didnt describe exactly what he meant by Shariah, or Islamic, law, implying...
Taliban political chief returns to Afghanistan: spokesman

The leader of the Taliban negotiating team Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar looks on the final declaration of the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban is presented in Qatars capital Doha on July 18, 2021. (File photo: AFP)KABUL, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A high-level delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, political chief of Afghanistans Taliban, returned to Afghanistan from Qatar, spokesman Mohammad Naeem said on the social media.The spokesman said on Twitter that the delegation landed at the Kandahar Airport in southern Afghanistan.
Taliban hindering evacuation of Afghans: German minister

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas adresses the media during a press statement ahead of a special EU foreign ministers meeting on Afghanistan held by video conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)Taliban checks at Kabul airport are making it more difficult to evacuate Afghans who worked for Western forces, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday as international forces scrambled to get people out of the country."The situation is much more dangerous (for Afghans) because there is no promise of being let through at the Taliban checkpoints," Maas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, adding that German and US forces were working to grant them safe access to the airport.
NATO calls on Taliban to facilitate departure of all who want to leave

Taliban fighters stand guard in Kabul on August 17, 2021. (Photo: AFP)North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on the Taliban on Tuesday to facilitate the departure of all those who want to leave Afghanistan, adding that the world will be watching and must continue to support a "stable and peaceful" Afghanistan.
Taliban's initial assurances 'positive signal': Russian minister

Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint near the US embassy that was previously manned by American troops, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that the Talibans initial assurances since completing their military takeover of Afghanistan over the weekend have been a "positive signal"."I consider it a positive signal that the Taliban in Kabul are declaring and in practice showing their readiness to respect the opinion of others," Lavrov said.
Germany halts development aid for Afghanistan: minister

A man holds a certificate acknowledging his work for Americans as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)Germany has halted development aid for Afghanistan, the minister responsible said on Tuesday, after the Taliban swept back into power."State cooperation on development is suspended for the time being," Development Minister Gerd Mueller said in an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper. "We are working at pace to evacuate from Afghanistan, those local development officials and NGO workers who want to leave."
Biden: Afghan chaos 'gut-wrenching' but stands by withdrawal

A defiant President Joe Biden rejected blame for chaotic scenes of Afghans clinging to U.S. military planes in Kabul in a desperate bid to flee their home country after the Talibans easy victory over an Afghan military that America and NATO allies had spent two decades trying to build.President Joe Biden speaks about Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, in Washington. (Photo: AP)At the White House, Biden on Monday called the anguish of trapped Afghan civilians "gut-wrenching" and conceded the Taliban had achieved a much faster takeover of the country than his administration had expected. The U.S. rushed in troops to protect its own evacuating diplomats and others at the Kabul airport.But the president expressed no second thoughts about his decision to stick by the U.S. commitment, formulated during the Trump administration, to end Americas longest war, no matter what."I stand squarely behind my decision" to finally withdraw U.S. combat forces, Biden said, while acknowledging the Afghan collapse played out far more quickly than the most pessimistic public forecasts of his administration. "This did unfold more quickly than we anticipated," he said.Despite declaring "the buck stops with me," Biden placed almost all blame on Afghans for the shockingly rapid Taliban conquest.His grim comments were his first in person to the world since the biggest foreign policy crisis of his still-young presidency. Emboldened by the U.S. withdrawal, Taliban fighters swept across the country last week and captured the capital, Kabul, on Sunday, sending U.S.-backed Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fleeing the country.Biden said he had warned Ghani — who was appointed Afghanistans president in a U.S.-negotiated agreement — to be prepared to fight a civil war with the Taliban after U.S. forces left. "They failed to do any of that," he said.Internationally, the spectacle of the Taliban takeover...
Japan evacuates embassy in Afghanistan

An aircraft approaches Tokyo Haneda airport on August 11, 2021. (Photo: AFP)TOKYO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Japan has evacuated all personnel from its embassy in Kabul due to the possible deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan after Taliban took control of the country, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.Japan has established a temporary office in Istanbul for resuming the embassys operations.According to the ministry, 12 Japanese embassy officials arrived in Dubai on Tuesday "aboard a military airplane of a friendly nation" after its embassy in Kabul was closed Sunday.
118 Nepalis return from Afghanistan

Nepalese people evacuated from Afghanistan arrive via Kuwait at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)KATHMANDU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- As many as 118 Nepalis arrived in the capital Kathmandu from Afghanistan via Kuwait on Tuesday, Nepals Ministry of Foreign Affairs said."Arrival of Nepali nationals from Afghanistan has started," the ministry stated in a social media post. "As many as 118 of them have arrived at Kathmandu airport by a chartered aircraft via Kuwait this morning."Sewa Lamal, spokesperson of the Nepali Foreign Ministry, said that the Nepali government had made a request to various foreign governments having presence in Afghanistan for help in bringing out Nepalis."We are expecting the arrival of more Nepalis today in the country," she told Xinhua.As many as 164 Nepalis and two Afghan nationals had been back in Nepal between Aug. 5 and 15, according to Nepals Department of Immigration.It is unclear how many Nepalis are in Afghanistan, and the Nepali government once barred Nepali citizens from working in Afghanistan in July 2016 after 13 Nepalis working in the Canadian Embassy in Kabul as security guards were killed in an attack.The ban was lifted four months later as a large number of Nepalis went to Afghanistan through informal channels for relatively high pay.
India evacuates diplomats, citizens from Kabul

This satellite photo from Maxar Technologies shows swarms of people on the tarmac at Kabul International Airport, also known as Hamid Karzai International Airport, Monday Aug. 16, 2021. (Photo: AP) NEW DELHI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- An Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 plane evacuated over 120 Indians, including diplomats, from Kabul and landed in the western state of Gujarat on Tuesday, said a government official.It is the first evacuation undertaken by an IAF plane amid the critical situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban took power in Kabul.The Indian security personnel guarding the embassy in Kabul and other Indian nationals were also among the evacuees.According to Arindam Bagchi, spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian government had decided to recall its ambassador in Kabul and the embassy staff."In view of the prevailing circumstances, it has been decided that our Ambassador in Kabul and his Indian staff will move to India immediately," Bagchi tweeted earlier in the day.Prior to that, the countrys External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the current Afghan situation.
Turkey welcomes 'positive messages' from Taliban

People walk through a security barrier as they enter Pakistan through a border crossing point, in Chaman, Pakistan, Tuesday, Aug 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)Turkey said on Tuesday it welcomed the "positive messages" to the international community given by Taliban fighters following their seizure of power in Afghanistan."We welcome the positive messages given by the Taliban to foreigners, diplomatic missions and their own population. I hope we will see (the same approach) in their actions," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in televised comments.
US credibility further doubted with Afghanistan's rapid unravelling: media

NEW YORK, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops and the rapid unravelling of Afghanistan have made Americas allies and others further doubt its credibility, according to a Friday report in The New York Times.Photo taken on May 28, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building behind a traffic sign in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)The retreat of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has heightened the sense that "Americas backing for its allies is not unlimited," said the report.It is "bound to sow doubts" as some of Americas allies in Europe and Asia wished that the current U.S. administration "would reestablish Americas firm presence in international affairs," it said.The issue for Americas allies and others, though, is less "credibility," a much misused term, than ability to see commitments through to the end, the report quoted former French diplomat Jean-Marie Guehenno as saying."The military debacle of Afghanistan, coming after the diplomatic debacle of Syria, will make Western nations more inward-looking, cynical and nationalist, as they feel surrounded by a world that they dont control, but keeps intruding," he said.
Evacuation flights taking off at Kabul airport, crowds cleared: reports

KABUL, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Military planes evacuating diplomats and civilians from Afghanistan started taking off from Kabul airport on Tuesday morning, after the airport runway and tarmac were cleared of crowds, media reports said.The airport was shut down Monday after crowds of people surged onto the runways, leading to a chaos and the deaths of several people. Two armed Afghan men were reportedly killed by U.S. forces as thousands sought to board flights.The airport reopened at 19:35 GMT Monday, and the United States was taking charge of air traffic control at the airport for military and commercial flights, media reports quoted Major General Hank Taylor, a logistics specialist on the Pentagons Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying in Washington.Taylor said around 2,500 U.S. soldiers are in Kabul to assist the evacuation of U.S. personnel and Afghans who have worked for them, adding that more troops are expected to arrive, according to the reports.Afghanistans civil aviation authority in a statement Monday announced the closure of the airport, saying it was trying to resume the flights as soon as possible.The Taliban in a statement Monday told Kabul residents that their lives and properties are safe and they can carry on their work.
US experts blast White House for strategic error in chaotic troop withdrawal

A screen displays US President Joe Biden's remarks on the crisis in Afghanistan at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square in New York, Aug 16, 2021.BEIJING - Days before Taliban forces entered the Afghan capital of Kabul, US President Joe Biden said at a news conference that he did not regret his mov
Pakistan committed to inclusive political settlement of Afghan issues: PM office

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Monday reiterated its commitment to an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan as the way forward representing all Afghan ethnic groups, the Pakistani Prime Ministers Office said after a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC).Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks during an interview with Chinese media in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Oct. 31, 2018. (File photo: Xinhua)Chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, with top military and civilian leadership in attendance, the meeting held on Monday reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue to work with the international community and all Afghan stakeholders to facilitate an inclusive political settlement in the country.The meeting thoroughly deliberated on the emerging situation in Afghanistan and stressed that the principle of non-interference in Afghanistan must be adhered to, according to a statement issued by the prime minister office."The NSC noted positively that major violence had been averted thus far and called on all parties in Afghanistan to respect the rule of law, protect fundamental human rights of all Afghans, and ensure that Afghan soil is not used by any terrorist organization or group against any country," the statement added.The prime minister directed that all possible facilities be made available to repatriate Pakistanis, diplomats, journalists and staff of international organizations seeking to leave Afghanistan."It is now time for the international community to work together to ensure an inclusive political settlement for long term peace, security and development of Afghanistan and the region," said the statement.
Lavrov, Blinken discuss situation in Afghanistan over phone

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks in Moscow, Russia, July 19 2021.MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the current situation in Afghanistan with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a telephone conversation Monday.Lavrov informed Blinken of working contacts that h
World must unite to combat global terrorist threat in Afghanistan: UN

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the world to work together to "suppress the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan" after the Taliban took control of the war-torn country.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (File photo: AFP)"The international community must unite to make sure that Afghanistan is never again used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organizations," Guterres told an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.The meeting was hastily convened at the UNs headquarters in New York after Taliban militants entered the capital Kabul on Sunday, leading Afghan president Ashraf Ghani to flee abroad."I appeal to the Security Council and the international community as a whole to stand together, to work together and act together," Guterres added.He urged nations to "use all tools at its disposal to suppress the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan and to guarantee that basic human rights will be respected."Guterres comments came as Taliban fighters patrolled Kabul after a stunningly swift end to Afghanistans 20-year war.Guterres said Afghans "deserve our full support.""The following days will be pivotal," he said. "The world is watching. We cannot and must not abandon the people of Afghanistan."The secretary-general urged the international community to "speak with one voice to uphold human rights in Afghanistan."He said it was "essential that the hard-won rights of Afghan women and girls are protected."Guterres also called upon the Taliban "to respect and protect international humanitarian law and the rights and freedoms of all persons."
UN humanitarians continue to deliver relief in Afghanistan

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians and their partners continue to deliver relief to more than 17,500 displaced people in Kabul despite challenges from the Afghanistan crisis, a UN spokesman said on Monday.Displaced Afghan people take shelter in a public park in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 11, 2021. (Photo by Sayed Mominzadah/Xinhua)"In the past month, 17,500 people have been identified as newly internally displaced," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "Most of the displaced people arriving in recent days are reported to have arrived from Ghazni and Logar provinces."Some 13,500 of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) received food, cash, health care, household items, and water and sanitation support, Dujarric said. Inter-agency teams were deployed around Kabul to assess humanitarian needs."Despite immense challenges, humanitarian organizations -- both the UN and nongovernmental organizations -- in Afghanistan are committed to delivering aid and services to millions of people in need while adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence," he said.The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its latest Flash Update on Afghanistan that assessment teams had to shut down their operations Sunday afternoon "due to uncertainty of the situation in Kabul."Peoples immediate needs continue to be shelter, household items, food, sanitation, hygiene kits, provision of health services and drinking water, said the office.The spokesman noted the secretary-generals report on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan released last week, saying an additional 5,770 boys and girls were killed and maimed in the country between January 2019 and December 2020.Child casualties for the first half of 2021 constituted the highest numbers of children killed and maimed for this period ever recorded by the United...
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UN chief calls for efforts to uphold human rights in Afghanistan, stem terrorism

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Front) speaks at an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Afghanistan at the UN headquarters in New York, on Aug. Guterres on Monday called for efforts to uphold human rights in Afghanistan and to prevent the country from again becoming a sa
Biden says deteriorating situation in Afghanistan 'did unfold more quickly' than US anticipates

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday stood by his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan while acknowledging Kabuls collapse to the Taliban came much sooner than Washington had anticipated.US President Joe Biden. (Photo: AFP)"I stand squarely behind my decision," said Biden in a televised speech from the White House. "The truth is this did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated."The speech came one day after the Taliban completed a stunningly swift takeover of the war-torn countrys capital of Kabul on Sunday after Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country."If anything, the developments of the past week reinforced that ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan, now, was the right decision," said Biden who returned to the White House from Camp David ahead of schedule."American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves," he said.In just over a week, the Taliban, which the U.S. overthrew in 2001, went from winning control of its first provincial capital to taking over Kabul.Saying he was willing to take criticism over the decision on troops withdrawal, Biden also cast blame on top Afghan leaders, Afghan forces and his predecessor Donald Trump for the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan."We have to be honest, our mission in Afghanistan is taking many missteps - made many missteps over the past two decades... I know my decision will be criticized, but I would rather take all that criticism than pass this decision on to another president... yet another one, a fifth one," he said.Trump, who inked a deal with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. forces by this past May, also bears part of the responsibility for the current situation, said Biden."The choice I had to make as your president was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting th...
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In pics: Taliban fighters in Kabul

Afghan Taliban fighters stand guard in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021.Afghan Taliban fighters stand on a military vehicle in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug.
Wang Yi: China would work with US on Afghanistan 'soft landing'

Afghan Taliban fighters are seen on a military vehicle in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug 16, 2021.US' Blinken says 'peaceful coexistence' common goal.The purpose is to encourage Afghanistan to establish a broad and inclusive political structure that suits its own national conditions, Wang, the C
Afghanistan today, Taiwan tomorrow? US treachery scares DPP

A US Chinook helicopter flies over the U. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday. For years, Washington has been turning its foreign policy into ideology-driven geopolitical games, and now the rapidly changing situation in Afghanistan has even worried some in the island of Taiwan and sounde
US troops kill 2 gunmen amid Kabul airport chaos

Thousands of people gathered at the airport as they tried to flee the capital after Taliban forces seized the city on Sunday and took control of the country. Thousands of US troops took control of security at Afghanistan's main international airport outside Kabul since Saturday to enable the
Iran urges int'l community to help displaced Afghans

TEHRAN, Aug. 16 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday called the international community to help the displaced Afghans as a result of the current situation in Afghanistan, and welcomed the establishment of a coordination council to ensure a "peaceful transfer of power."We hope the international com
Chinese envoy warns against Afghanistan being heaven again for terrorists

16 -- A Chinese envoy on Monday warned against Afghanistan becoming heaven again for terrorists.In the last 20 years, terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State, al-Qaida and the East Turkestan Independence Movement (ETIM) have gathered and developed in Afghanistan, posing a serious threat t
Biden to address nation on chaos in Afghanistan

In this April 14, 2021, file photo President Joe Biden speaks from the Treaty Room in the White House about the withdrawal of the remainder of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. (Photo: AP)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will return to the White House Monday to address the nation on the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan, as the planned withdrawal of American forces turned deadly at Kabul’s airport as thousands tried to flee the country a day after the Talibans takeover.The White House says Biden will travel back to Washington from the Camp David presidential retreat to speak at 3:45 Monday afternoon from the East Room. It will be his first public remarks on the Afghanistan situation in nearly a week, after Biden and other top U.S. officials had been stunned by the pace of the Taliban’s swift routing of the Afghan military.Senior U.S. military officials say the chaos at the airport left seven people dead Monday morning, including some who fell from a departing American military transport jet.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss ongoing operations.Afghans rushed onto the tarmac of the capital’s airport as thousands tried to escape after the Taliban seized power with stunning speed. Some clung to the side of a U.S. military plane before takeoff, in a widely shared video that captured the sense of desperation as America’s 20-year war comes to a chaotic end.Another video showed the Afghans falling as the plane gained altitude over Kabul.The speed of the Afghan government’s collapse and the ensuing chaos posed the most serious test of Biden as commander in chief, and he was the subject of withering criticism from Republicans who said that he had failed. Chaotic scenes unfolded at the Kabul airport Monday as Afghans tried desperately to find space on departing military flights, with the U.S. resorting to firing warning shots and using helicopters to clear a path for transport aircraft.Biden campaigned as a ...
US officials say 7 killed in Kabul airport evacuation chaos

Afghan people climb atop a plane as they wait at the Kabul airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021. (Photo: AFP)KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Senior U.S. military officials say the chaos at the Kabul airport this morning left seven people dead, including some who fell from a departing American military transport jet.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss ongoing operations.Afghans rushed onto the tarmac of the capital’s airport on Monday as thousands tried to flee the country after the Taliban seized power with stunning speed. Some clung to the side of a U.S. military plane before takeoff, in a widely shared video that captured the sense of desperation as America’s 20-year war comes to a chaotic end.Another video showed the Afghans falling as the plane gained altitude over Kabul.
US stumbles as Afghan situation cycled in 20 years

It seems that the situation in Afghanistan will enter a new chapter. The US has spent 20 years on its "anti-terror war" in Afghanistan, investing huge amount of resources in the country to support the Afghan government and help train its troops. The Western media have been busy mentioning Ch
Taliban will not get access to Afghan reserves held in US: official

Taliban fighters stand guard in front of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)The Taliban will be denied access to any Afghan reserves held in US accounts, a US administration official told AFP on Monday.As US forces were evacuating Afghanistans capital after the Talibans swift takeover, the official said, "Any Central Bank assets the Afghan government have in the United States will not be made available to the Taliban."
Rush on Kabul airport as Afghans flee Taliban takeover

Afghans rushed onto the tarmac of the capitals airport on Monday as thousands tried to flee the country after the Taliban seized power with stunning speed. Some clung to the side of a U.S. military transport plane before takeoff, in a widely shared video that captured the sense of desperation as Americas 20-year war comes to a chaotic end.A Taliban fighter sits on the back of a vehicle with a machine gun in front of the main gate leading to the Afghan presidential palace, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)The Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, bringing an end to a two-decade campaign in which the U.S. and its allies had tried to transform Afghanistan. The countrys Western-trained security forces collapsed or fled in the face of an insurgent offensive that tore through the country in just over a week, ahead of the planned withdrawal of the last American troops at the end of the month.In the capital, a tense calm set in, with most people hiding in their homes as the Taliban deployed fighters at major intersections. There were scattered reports of looting and armed men knocking on doors and gates, and the streets were eerily quiet for a city of 5 million people usually jammed with traffic. Fighters could be seen searching vehicles at one of the citys main squares.Many fear chaos, after the Taliban freed thousands of prisoners and the police simply melted away, or a return to the kind of brutal rule the Taliban imposed when they were last in power. Residents raced to Kabuls international airport, where the "civilian side" was closed until further notice, according to Afghanistans Civil Aviation Authority. The U.S. military and other Western forces continued to organize evacuations.Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of people running across the tarmac as U.S. troops fired warning shots in the air. One showed a crowd pushing and shoving its way up ...
Italian diplomats, Afghans arrive in Rome from Kabul

Afghans crowd at the tarmac of the Kabul airport on August 16, 2021. (Photo: AFP)About 70 Italian diplomats and Afghans reached Rome on Monday after being evacuated from Kabul following the fall of the capital city to the Taliban.The KC-767 military transport plane touched down about 1230 GMT at Romes Fiumicino international airport carrying some 50 diplomats and 20 Afghans who had worked with Italian forces in Afghanistan, the foreign ministry said in a statement.Their arrival came after a last-minute evacuation Sunday at Kabuls airport, as Western powers scrambled to fly out their remaining embassy staff and Afghans who worked as interpreters or other support roles.Italys defence ministry announced Sunday that "in view of the deteriorating security situation", the embassys diplomatic staff and Italian nationals would be evacuated. In June, Italy repatriated its remaining approximately 900 soldiers as part of the accelerated withdrawal of NATO forces.The country was one of the most committed Western powers in Afghanistan, which since 2015 alongside the United States, Turkey, Britain and Germany, formed the bulk of NATOs "Resolute Support" mission to train and advise Afghan troops. Italy deployed 50,000 troops in Afghanistan over the past 20 years following the 9/11 attacks on the United States.During that period, 53 Italian soldiers died and 723 were injured.According to the defence ministry, 228 Afghans who worked for Italy and their families are already in Italy.The Taliban takeover after President Ashraf Ghani fled on Sunday concluded a lightning offensive that overran a string of regional capitals in just over a week following NATOs withdrawal.
Afghanistan not to take part in Tokyo Paralympics, organizers say

Taliban fighters stand guard on the road leading to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)TOKYO, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan will not send athletes to the Tokyo Paralympic Games, which is set to kick off on August 24, organizers confirmed here on Monday.Toshiro Muto, CEO of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, told a news conference that he has been aware of the information that Afghanistan is "unable to take part in the Paralympic Games."Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday night, while the Taliban ordered its members to enter the capital of Kabul."Currently, a situation exists in Afghanistan. That situation is the reason for their inability to come to Japan," he said. "We regret that they are not able to come, for the Afghanistan athletes, officials and stakeholders. I hope they are spending their time safely in their own country."Muto said that the organizing committee had no idea how many people Afghanistan had originally planned to send to the Games.A total of five Afghanistani athletes, including four men and one woman, competed in athletics, shooting, swimming and taekwondo at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
UK forces going back to Afghanistan 'not on the cards': defense secretary

Afghan people climb atop a plane as they wait at the Kabul airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)LONDON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace said on Monday that British forces going back to Afghanistan is "not on the cards", after the Taliban entered the Afghan capital city of Kabul.Asked by Sky News if Britain and NATO forces would return to Afghanistan, Wallace said: "Thats not on the cards that were going to go back."The Taliban said on Sunday that the war in Afghanistan has ended and they will soon declare the establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They will take responsible actions to ensure the safety of Afghan citizens and foreign missions in Afghanistan.Wallace said Britain was doing everything it could to evacuate British nationals and Afghans with links to Britain."Our target is...about 1,200 to 1,500 exit a day in the capacity of our aeroplanes, and well keep that flow," he said.The British defense secretary on Friday said the U.S. decision to pull its military forces out of Afghanistan was a "mistake," which has handed the Taliban "momentum" in the country."Of course I am worried, it is why I said I felt this was not the right time or decision to make because, of course, al-Qaida will probably come back, certainly would like that type of breeding ground," he told Sky News.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that the U.S. decision to pull out of Afghanistan has "accelerated things".The British parliament will be recalled on Wednesday from their summer recess to debate the British governments response to the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan.
Observer: 'Graveyard of empires' proves interventionism ends in failure

The Taliban on Sunday entered Afghanistan’s capital and took control of the presidential palace while Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani fled the country.Just a month ago, US President Joe Biden said a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was not inevitable, when defending the decision of US military withdrawal after two decades of the mission. Now, the Taliban declared a swift victory, as Afghanistan’s major cities all fell to the Taliban in about a week.America’s longest war ended in complete fiasco and humiliation. It invaded Afghanistan in 2001 under the guise of “protecting local and global security” even if that came at the unimaginable expense of ruining another country. Ironically, when seeing rapid Taliban gains today, the US is speeding up its exit like a disinterested party. As ultimately leaving nothing constructive but a catastrophe in Afghanistan, the US lost credibility that has already been collapsing for years.The war was a costly one in every respect. The twenty years of war have killed 47,245 Afghan civilians and cost the $2.26 trillion in total, according to Brown University’s The Costs of War Project. The project also estimates that 241,000 people have died as a direct result of this war.And the cost and loss of lives have not yet ceased, although the US decided to end the war. For the US, their troops have finally said farewell to cruelty and casualties and the government has hastily dropped its obligations for the messy situation. But the Afghan civilians, who have never enjoyed peace and social stability during the prolonged war, still live in chaos and fear. The Afghan public has never embraced the so-called US-style democracy and a rebuilt Afghan society, which the US had promised to bring when initiating the war.Afghanistan has witnessed a decade-long war led by external forces turning into a civil conflict. In history, empire after empire has come to the country, failed in their mission, and left. Now with the US defeat and retreat, the la...
Kabul planes mobbed as Afghans make a desperate dash to exit

Afghan people climb atop a plane as they wait at the Kabul airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021. (Photo: AFP)Frantic Afghans trying to flee the Taliban takeover clung to an American plane as it prepared to take off from Kabul airport, as thousands of people desperately searched for a flight out of the country on Monday.US troops fired shots into the air and all commercial flights were cancelled as chaos broke out on the tarmac.Dramatic footage posted on social media shows hundreds of men running alongside a US Air Force plane as it rolls down the runway, with some clinging to the side of it.In other videos, civilians frantically clamber up an already overcrowded and buckling set of airstairs.Crowds watched on, as those who successfully climbed the stairs helped others up, while some hung from the stair railings by their hands.Panicked families with frightened children in tow and laden with luggage were trying to escape the incoming Taliban regime, two decades after the group’s harsh rule was toppled by a US-led invasion."I feel very scared here. They are firing lots of shots into the air," the witness said, asking not to be named in case it jeopardised his chances of leaving.The US State Department said American troops had secured the perimeter of the airport as they evacuate embassy employees and thousands of Afghans who worked for Washingtons interests since they toppled the Taliban in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
India's Delhi-Kabul flight suspended after Afghan airspace shut

An Afghan national is mobbed by media person for byte as he arrives at Indira Gandhi International airport by Air India special flight from Kabul, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Aug 15, 2021. (Photo: AP)NEW DELHI, Aug 16 (Xinhua) -- The scheduled Air India (AI) flight that was to fly from Delhis airport to Kabul Monday afternoon has been suspended as the airspace over Afghanistan was closed for all flights, a spokesman of the carrier said on Monday.The spokesman said earlier in the day that the AI flight would fly to Kabul as per its schedule. However, due to the reported violence at the Kabul airport leading to a couple of killings, airspace over Kabul was closed and subsequently all flights, taking off and landings, were cancelled."Airspace over Afghanistan is declared closed, so no aircraft can operate there. Our scheduled flight to Kabul also cannot go," the spokesman said in a written message.
World reacts as Taliban enters Kabul

A US Chinook helicopter flies over the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (Photo: AP)BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Countries and international organizations closely observing the unfolding situation in Afghanistan have swiftly reacted to Taliban forces entering the capital Kabul on Sunday.The U.S. State Department and the Pentagon issued a joint statement, saying, "At present we are completing a series of steps to secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport to enable the safe departure of U.S. and allied personnel from Afghanistan via civilian and military flights."The United States will expand its security presence to nearly 6,000 troops over the next 48 hours, with a mission focused solely on facilitating these efforts, and will take over air traffic control, according to the statement.Thousands of U.S. citizens, locally employed staff of the U.S. mission in Kabul and their families, and "other particularly vulnerable Afghan nationals" would be transferred out of the country in the coming days, it said, adding, "And we will accelerate the evacuation of thousands of Afghans eligible for U.S. Special Immigrant Visas."Frances Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs also published a statement, saying that the government had decided to relocate its embassy to the international airport in Kabul to facilitate the evacuation of French nationals from Afghanistan.The French Ministry of Armed Forces "will deploy military reinforcements and air assets to the United Arab Emirates in the coming hours, so that the first evacuations to Abu Dhabi can begin," it added.On Monday morning, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told local media that the National Security Cabinet meeting will convene to review a plan for evacuation out of Afghanistan, without providing details of the operations.Muhammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Talibans political office in Qatars capital Doha, tweeted Sunday that there is no dan...
Commercial flights from Kabul airport cancelled

Travelers enter in Pakistan through a border crossing point in Chaman, Pakistan, Monday, Aug 16, 2021. A special flight of Pakistans national airline PIA has arrived in Islamabad carrying 329 passengers from Kabul, and another carrying 170 people will arrive later today. (Photo: AP)KABUL, Aug 16 (Xinhua) - All commercial flights from Kabuls airport have been cancelled, said a statement of Afghanistans civil aviation authority released on Monday."All the flights from Kabul airport have been temporarily cancelled and the passengers should not come to the airport until informed," the statement said.The cancellation of the flights took place in the wake of Kabuls fall to the Taliban on Sunday and the mass migration of Afghans amid fear.The civil aviation authority in the statement expressed hope for early restoration of normalcy, noting that the massive rushing of passengers to the airport in the chaotic situation could lead to looting and other disorderly situation.The civil aviation authority has been trying to resume the flights as soon as possible, the statement said.Taliban meanwhile in a statement told Kabul residents that their lives and properties are safe and they can carry on their works.
Taliban say no clashes in Afghanistan one day after capture of Kabul

Photo via CGTNTaliban officials said on Monday they had received no reports of any clashes from across the country a day after the group took control of capital Kabul."The situation is peaceful, as per our reports," a senior member of the Taliban said. "The general public is happy with the arrival of the Mujahideen and satisfied with the security," Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted on Monday.
Commercial flights out of Kabul cancelled due to chaos at airport: official

Photo via CGTNCommercial flights from Kabul were cancelled Monday after chaotic scenes at the airport with thousands looking for a way out after the Taliban re-took power in Afghanistan."There will be no commercial flights from Hamid Karzai Airport to prevent looting and plundering. Please do not rush to the airport," the Kabul airport authority said in a message sent to reporters.
Trump calls for Biden to resign over Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

Former US President Donald Trump called for his successor Joe Biden to resign on Sunday over the swift takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, as US troops withdrew from the country after nearly 20 years military presence. Former US President Donald Trump speaks during the Rally to Protect Our Elections conference in Phoenix, Arizona on July 24, 2021. /CFP"It is time for Joe Biden to resign in disgrace for what he has allowed to happen to Afghanistan," Trump said in a statement, also blasting him over a surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States and domestic immigration, economic and energy policies. The Taliban have reconquered Afghanistan in a lightning surge 20 years after they were toppled by the US invasion. They took control of Kabul on Sunday, more than two weeks before the August 31 deadline set by Biden to complete the withdrawal of American troops from the country. It was under Trump that the US brokered a deal with the Taliban in Doha in 2020 that would have seen the US troops pullout by May 2021 in exchange for various security guarantees from the Taliban. When Biden took power earlier this year, he pushed back the deadline for the withdrawal and set no conditions for it. Trump has repeatedly blasted Biden over the move, saying it would have been "a much different and much more successful withdrawal" if he were still in power. "What Joe Biden has done with Afghanistan is legendary. It will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history!" he said in another statement on Sunday. The Biden administration is quick to point out that Trump negotiated the Doha deal on the withdrawal and that a majority of the US public favors ending "forever wars." A USAF CH-46 Sea Knight military transport helicopter flies over Kabul, Afghanistan, August 15, 2021. /Reuters via CGTNBiden has faced heated criticism at home that the withdrawal was mismanaged, with the United States racing to evacuate its sprawling embassy...
Taliban return to power in Afghanistan, say real test begins now

One of the Talibans most senior officials on Sunday declared that the movements swift victory over the Afghan government was an unrivaled feat but the real test of governing effectively would begin now that it had won power.Taliban fighters take control of the Afghan presidential palace after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 15, 2021. /CFPIn a brief video statement, Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the Talibans political bureau, said the victory, which saw all of the countrys major cities fall in a week, was unexpectedly swift and had no match in the world.However, he said the real test would begin now with meeting the expectations of the people and serving them by resolving their problems. The Taliban returned to power in Kabul on Monday after a military advance across Afghanistan as U.S-led forces departed and Western nations stepped up efforts to evacuate their embassy staffs and other citizens from the capital. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as Taliban fighters closed in on the capital, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed. A Taliban spokesman said the war is over and the Afghan people will soon learn what form the new government will take. Taliban: No danger to embassies, foreign nationalsMuhammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Talibans political office in Qatars capital Doha, stressed on Sunday evening that there is no danger to embassies, diplomatic missions and foreign nationals in Kabul, pledging that the Taliban will maintain security across the country. "We assure all embassies, diplomatic missions, institutions and residences of foreign nationals in Kabul that there is no danger to them," Naeem said on his Twitter account. He stressed that the forces of the Taliban movement are tasked with maintaining security in Kabul and other cities in the country.The Taliban on Sunday announced taking control of the presidential palace in Kabul, and will announce the es...
US confirms evacuation of Americans from Kabul

Washington (Peoples Daily) - The US is evacuating Americans from Kabul via civilian and military flights, after the Taliban entered the Afghan capital, according to a joint statement from the US Department of State and Department of Defense issued on Sunday.The US embassy in Kabul is closed after American personnel were evacuated Sunday. (Photo: Agencies)According to the statement, at present the US government is completing a series of steps to secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport to enable the safe departure of US and allied personnel from Afghanistan via civilian and military flights. Over the next 48 hours, the US will have expanded its US security presence to nearly 6,000 troops, with a mission focused solely on facilitating these efforts. The US troops will take over air traffic control, the statement said.“Tomorrow and over the coming days, we will be transferring out of the country thousands of American citizens who have been residents in Afghanistan, as well as locally employed staff of the US mission in Kabul and their families and other particularly vulnerable Afghan nationals,” the statement continued.The statement said the US will accelerate the evacuation of thousands of Afghans eligible for US Special Immigrant Visas, nearly 2,000 of whom have already arrived in the United States over the past two weeks.
Taliban confirms no danger to embassies, foreign nationals in Kabul

DOHA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Muhammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Talibans political office in Qatars capital Doha, stressed on Sunday evening that there is no danger to embassies, diplomatic missions and foreign nationals in the Afghan capital Kabul, pledging that the Taliban will maintain security across the country.The entrance gate of the Canadian embassy is pictured after the evacuation in Kabul on August 15, 2021. (Photo: AFP)"We assure all embassies, diplomatic missions, institutions and residences of foreign nationals in Kabul that there is no danger to them," Naeem said on his Twitter account.He stressed that the forces of the Taliban movement are tasked with maintaining security in Kabul and other cities in the country.The Taliban announced on Sunday that it has taken control of the presidential palace in Kabul, and will announce the establishment of the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" soon, according to media reports.Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation Chairman Abdullah Abdullah said in a video post on his Facebook page that Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has left the country on Sunday night.
Afghan president leaves country, Taliban forces enter Kabul

KABUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday night, while the Taliban forces entered the capital of Kabul and took control of the presidential palace.Afghanistans President Ashraf Ghani looks on while attending a Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board meeting (JCMB) at the Afghan presidential palace in Kabul on July 28, 2021. (File photo: AFP)Ghani confirmed on his Facebook page late on Sunday that he has left the country, saying the move was to prevent bloodshed."If there were still countless countrymen martyred and they would face the destruction and destruction of Kabul city, the result would have been a big human disaster in the city," Ghani said.The Taliban is now responsible for protecting the honor and wealth of the Afghan people, adding that he will continue to serve the nation, he said.Ghani did not mention his current location in the Facebook post. Media reports said he fled to Uzbekistan with his wife. A senior Interior Ministry official said earlier in the day that he was heading for Tajikistan, while a Foreign Ministry official said his destination remains unknown.Meanwhile, the Taliban has assured that all the diplomatic missions and foreign citizens in Kabul will face no dangers. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they are committed to ensuring security in the Afghan capital.The Taliban forces entered Kabul city and took control of the presidential palace. The group has taken control of all the districts of Kabul, Taliban spokesman Mujahid said.Mujahid said that overnight patrolling of the city will be launched soon.Media reports also said the group will soon declare the establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.A curfew has been imposed in Kabul starting 21:00 local time on Sunday to prevent violence.Two powerful explosions occurred late on Sunday near the US embassy and the presidential palace in Kabul, media reports said, quoting eyewitnesses.A shooting started with th...

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