Citizens want to leave the country out of fear that the Taliban may re-enact a brutal regime that would end women's rights. Citizens stood outside cash machines to withdraw their lifetime savings.
Kabul: Taliban fighters have captured Afghanistan's presidential palace. In the footage, a large group of Taliban fighters can be seen inside Afghanistan's presidential palace in the capital Kabul. The Taliban are expected to announce their occupation of Afghanistan from Afghanistan's presidential palace and re-name the country as the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan'. Within days of the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan after twenty years of fighting, almost the entire country has been again captured by the Taliban. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting on Monday on the situation in Afghanistan at the request of Estonia and Norway. Council diplomats said on Sunday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would brief council members on the latest situation in the aftermath of the Taliban's capture of the capital, Kabul. President Ashraf Ghani left the country after Taliban fighters knocked on Kabul on Sunday morning.
At the same time, countrymen and foreigners are also trying to leave the war-torn country, although due to the closure of commercial flights from Kabul airport, these efforts of the people have had a setback. According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the US is systematically evacuating the remaining staff from its embassy in Kabul. However, he did not play down the allegations of the US exiting in a hurry, saying that this is not a repeat of Vietnam. "Our men are leaving the premises and heading to the airport," Blinken said on ABC channel's "The Week" on Sunday, confirming that US embassy staff would seek documents and other materials before vacating the premises. But he insisted that "this is being done very carefully and in a well-planned manner. All this is happening in the presence of US forces, who are ensuring our security there." Military helicopters continued to fly from the compound on Sunday as they evacuated the US embassy in Kabul.
Citizens want to leave the country out of fear that the Taliban may re-enact a brutal regime that would end women's rights. Citizens stood outside cash machines to withdraw their lifetime savings. At the same time, thousands of common people who left their homes in rural areas of the country for a more secure environment in Kabul were seen taking shelter in parks and open spaces throughout the city. Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, confirmed that Ghani had left the country. Abdullah said, "The former President of Afghanistan has left the country, leaving Afghanistan in this difficult situation. May Allah hold them accountable." Despite billions of dollars being spent by the US and NATO to prepare security forces in Afghanistan over nearly two decades, the Taliban surprisingly captured almost all of Afghanistan in a week. Just days earlier, a US military assessment estimated it would take a month for the capital to come under Taliban pressure.
The fall of Kabul to Taliban control marks the final chapter of America's longest war, which began after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks planned by al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. Osama was then sheltered by the Taliban government. A US-led invasion toppled the Taliban from power. However, due to the Iraq war, America was distracted from this war. America has, for years, been trying to get out of the war. Under the leadership of then US President Donald Trump, Washington signed a deal with the Taliban in February 2020 that limits direct military action against insurgents. This allowed the Taliban to mobilize their strength and move rapidly to capture key areas.
President Joe Biden announced his plan to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by the end of this month. Sunday began with the Taliban capturing the nearby city of Jalalabad - the last major city other than the capital that they did not hold. Afghan officials said the militants captured the capitals of Maidan Wardak, Khost, Kapisa and Parwan provinces, as well as the last border occupied by the country's government. Later, security forces stationed at Bagram air base surrendered to the Taliban. There are about 5,000 prisoners lodged in a jail. Bagram district chief Darvesh Roufi said the surrender left the once-American base in the hands of Taliban fighters. The prison houses fighters from both the Taliban and the Islamic State group.