Taliban Seizes Power, Says 'War is Over'; President Ghani Flees Afghanistan
Catch all the live updates of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan here.
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The Taliban is in control of Afghanistan after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and conceded that the insurgents had won the 20-year war.
Meanwhile, a 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.
On Sunday, Taliban commanders said that they have taken control of the Afghan Presidential Palace, news agency Reuters reported, hours after Taliban fighters entered Kabul.
Earlier in the day, negotiations had begun with the Afghanistan government for an 'unconditional surrender' and a 'peaceful transfer of power'.
Kabul was the only major Afghan city under the control of the country's central government, as more and more cities fell to the Taliban in the last few days in its unprecedented advance.
The Taliban had earlier said in a statement that they had no plans to take the Afghan capital “by force”
Later in the day, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that in order to prevent looting and chaos, their forces will enter some parts of Kabul
Following the withdrawal of majority of US troops on 1 May, Taliban has advanced rapidly in the country, capturing cities after cities
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'Closely Monitoring Developments': MEA on 'Concerning' Situation in Afghanistan
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday, 12 August, spoke about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, saying that it is a matter of concern and India is closely monitoring developments in the war-torn region.
Addressing the media, Bagchi said that India's primary concern is stability in Afghanistan.
'Afghanistan Will Keep Fighting': Vice President
Afghan first vice president Amrullah Saleh said that the country will continue its fight against the Taliban and would 'do all it could' to fight the terrorists. This comes amid mounting pressure for President Ashraf Ghani to resign from the post.
“In today’s meeting on national security chaired by President Ashraf Ghani, it was decided with conviction and resolve that we stand firm against Taliban terrorists and do everything to strengthen the national resistance by all means and ways,” Saleh tweeted on 13 August.
2.5 Lakh Afghans Fled Homes Since May
The UN refugee agency on Friday, 13 August, said that nearly 250,000 Afghans have fled their homes since the end of May.
Among this, 80 percent of those displaced are women and children, the agency said.
Canada to Welcome 20,000 Afghans
Justin Trudeau's Canada will welcome 20,000 vulnerable Afghan refugees based on its immigration programme, Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship said.
"Our efforts will focus on those who are particularly vulnerable, including women leaders," Marco Mendicino said.
India, Other Nations Won't Recognise Taliban-Led Govt in Afghanistan
India, Germany, Qatar, Turkey are among other nations that have reaffirmed to not recognise any government in Afghanistan that is "imposed through the use of military force," reported news agency PTI.
The meeting on 12 August was attended by representatives of Germany, India, Norway, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan, the US and the UN, a statement from Qatar said.
'Systematic Planning by Taliban That Everyone Missed': Vivek Katju
Current media reports are naturally focusing on the fall of provincial centres to the Taliban. However, what is escaping notice is the systematic manner in which the Taliban has planned its military movement since US President Joe Biden’s announcement to withdraw troops, writes Vivek Katju, former Secretary [West], Ministry of External Affairs.
"At this stage of their military moves, the Taliban avoided getting into provincial capitals. This gave rise to the feeling in many military observers, including in India, that the group had only the capacity to gain ground where the Afghan government forces were thinly spread. These observers argued that it would be a different story if the Taliban attempted to take the cities. This was obviously a wrong assessment. It did not take into account the nature of warfighting in Afghanistan," Kajtu writes.
You can read the full piece here.
18 Out of Afghanistan's 34 Provinces Under Taliban Control
Quoting Homi Ahmadi, an Afghan lawmaker, AP reported that Taliban forces have captured the Logar province, just south of capital.
Currently, they now control 18 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
(Source: AP)
US Sending 3,000 Troops to Kabul for Evacuation Efforts
The US is deploying 3,000 American troops including two battalions of Marines and one infantry battalion to help evacuate embassy personnel and civilians in Kabul.
(Source: Reuters)
Focus on Preventing Further Instability: Prez Ghani
Amid chaos and uncertainty about Afghanistan's future, in a pre-recorded address, President Ashraf Ghani said, "I assure you that as your president my focus is to prevent further instability, violence and displacement of the people."
“To do this, I have started widespread consultations within and outside the government, with political leaders and international partners and I will soon share the results with the people," he added.
(Source: Tolo News)
Provinces Currently Under Taliban's Control
Map of Afghanistan And Its Bordering Nations
Taliban Take Mazar-e-Sharif in Another Key Capture
Taliban forces on Saturday captured Mazar-e-Sharif, a major city in northern Afghanistan, sending Afghan forces fleeing, and drew one step closer to Kabul.
The fall of Mazar-e-Sharif was confirmed by a provincial council official, reported Reuters. This is a major victory for the Taliban.
"The Taliban have taken control of Mazar-I-Sharif," the official told Reuters. "All security forces have left Mazar city." Reports said the city appeared to have fallen largely without a fight.
Taliban Takes Over Jalalabad city, Now Controls All Major Afghan Cities But Kabul
The Taliban has taken over Jalalabad city, reportedly without any resistance. The group now controls all major Afghan cities except Kabul, as per international media reports.
According to AP, with Jalalabad under Taliban control, Afghanistan’s central government now remains in control of just Kabul and six other provincial capitals out of the country’s 34.
Biden’s 'America Is Back' Call Leaves Afghans to Fight Taliban for Basic Rights
US President Joe Biden will own the disaster unfolding in Afghanistan with the attendant humanitarian catastrophe on display even though the blame should be spread across four US administrations.
Biden’s slogan of “America is Back” sounds more like “America is Gone", as the Afghans are left to the medievalist Taliban and the women to live in home jails, writes Seema Sirohi.
Forced Marriages, Oppression & Violence As Taliban Gains Power in Afghanistan
The exit of the US troops has been speedy and without a proper strategy. The rapid gains made by the Taliban has surprised everyone.
Civilian casualties, mostly women and children, reached a record level in May-June 2021. It was up 47 percent from the same period in 2020.
As many as 115 Afghan security forces and 58 civilians were killed in the first five days of August 2021.
Afghan civil and refugee rights activists based in Delhi shared few videos with The Quint of the excesses in Afghanistan's Mazar-e-Sharif.
Taliban Seize Provincial Capital of Maidan Wardak
Continuing their rapid advance, the Taliban have reportedly seized the provincial capital of Maidan Wardak, just west of Kabul, reports AP.
President Biden Authorises 1,000 More troops to Go to Afghanistan
President Joe Biden on Sunday announced that 1,000 additional troops would be deployed to Afghanistan, reports CNN.
Biden said he authorised the deployment "to make sure we can have an orderly and safe drawdown of US personnel and other allied personnel and an orderly and safe evacuation of Afghans who helped our troops during our mission and those at special risk from the Taliban advance."
Biden authorised 5,000 troops in his Saturday statement, which included a 1,000 troops already on the ground, as well as 3,000 additional troops who were already on their way, according to the Pentagon.
Taliban Hold All Afghanistan Border Posts
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that the Taliban has taken the Torkham border crossing, due to which the country has halted cross-border traffic.
With the fall of Torkham, the last post still under government control, the Taliban hold all of Afghanistan’s border crossings, reports AP.
Torkham represented the last post still under government control.
Amid the Taliban's advance towards Kabul, the US is pulling out their diplomats from the capital. The Czech Republic has also approved a plan to begin withdrawing their Afghan staff from their embassy.
Taliban Seizes Provincial Capital of Khost
Tightening their grip around Kabul, Taliban has seized the provincial capital of Khost, reports said on Sunday, quoting an Afghan official.
Taliban Begins Entering Outskirts of Kabul, Say Reports
Taliban fighters have entered the outskirts of Kabul, tightening their grip on the country, reports AP. Kabul remains the only major Afghan city under the control of the country's central government.
Three Afghan officials told AP that Taliban fighters were in the districts of Kalakan, Qarabagh, and Paghman in the capital.
The Taliban in a statement have said they have no plans to take the Afghan capital “by force.” The insurgents issued the statement as their fighters entered the outskirts of Kabul.
Kabul Will Not be Attacked: Afghanistan Acting Interior Minister
As reports emerged that Taliban fighters had begun entering the outskirts of the capital, even as the group said that their fighters had been instructed to stay at the gate and not enter the capital, acting Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said that Kabul will not be attacked and that the transition would happen peacefully, reports TOLO News.
He also assured Kabul residents that security forces will ensure the security of the city.
Russia Does Not Plan to Evacuate Kabul Embassy: Report
Russia does not plan to evacuate its Kabul embassy, an official has said, reports AFP.
Taliban Negotiators Head to Presidential Palace for 'Transfer of Power': Report
An Afghan official has told the Associated Press that Taliban negotiators were heading to the Presidential Palace to prepare for a 'transfer' of power.
Afghanistan Prez Ashraf Ghani Urges Govt Forces to Maintain Law & Order in Kabul
Amid reports of the imminent resignation of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, AFP reported on Sunday that he has urged the government forces to maintain law and order in Kabul.
According to a tweet put out by the official account of the Office of the President of Afghanistan, Ghani held a telephonic conversation with officials regarding the security of Kabul's residents.
Afghanistan President Ghani Has Left the Country: Report
Hours after Taliban fighters entered Kabul on Sunday, sources cited by TOLONews said that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has left the country.
Taliban Will Enter Some Parts of Kabul to Prevent Chaos: Spokesperson
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has said that in order to prevent looting and chaos, their forces will enter some parts of Kabul and occupy outposts that have been evacuated by security forces, as he asked people to not panic from their entrance, TOLONews reported.
Taliban 'Take Control' of Afghan Presidential Palace: Report
Taliban commanders said they have taken control of the Afghan Presidential Palace, news agency Reuters reported.
President Ashraf Ghani Issues Statement
President Ashraf Ghani, who fled to Tajikistan on Sunday, as the Taliban reached Kabul for a transfer of power, said that he left Afghanistan in order to avoid violence and bloodshed.
In his first statement since the terror organisation took over the presidential palace in Afghanistan, Ghani said, "The Taliban have made it to remove me; they are here to attack all Kabul and the people of Kabul. In order to avoid the bleeding flood, I thought it was best to get out."
US Military Secure Perimeter of Kabul Airport
The US military has secured the perimeter of Kabul airport, the State Department says, adding that Washington's embassy in the Afghan capital has been completely evacuated, reports AFP.
Taliban Issues Statement After Taking Over Afghanistan
Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem said in interviews with Al Jazeera TV that the Taliban did not want to live in isolation and the type of rule and the form of regime would be clear soon.