WEB DESK
The Taliban have taken over the presidential palace in Kabul and claimed victory, hours after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Evacuations from the capital are ongoing. according to latest Media reports.
The Taliban have taken control of the presidential palace in Kabul after former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Earlier talks to form a transitional government appear to have been scuppered by Ghani’s departure.
The US defense secretary approved 1,000 more US troops into Afghanistan due to the deteriorating security situation,.
The Taliban reportedly entered the capital encountering little resistance
Television footage showed fighters in the presidential palace, claiming victory
Chaotic evacuations continue at Kabul airport, with US soldiers providing security
Germany closes its embassy in Kabul, flying staff out
All personnel at the US Embassy in Kabul have been safely evacuated as of early Monday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.
“All Embassy personnel are located on the premises of Hamid Karzai International Airport, whose perimeter is secured by the US Military,” Price said in a statement.
Over 60 countries, including Germany and the EU, urged all parties in Afghanistan in a joint statement released early Monday to allow the “safe and orderly departure” of foreign nationals and Afghans from the country amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation.
The countries said “roads, airports and border crossing must remain open, and calm must be maintained.”
“The Afghan people deserve to live in safety, security and dignity,” the statement added. “We in the international community stand ready to assist them,” the statement said.
A joint statement from the US Department of State and Department of Defense said the US will take over air traffic control at the international airport in Kabul, as Americans and Afghans are evacuated from the city.
Taliban surprised by speed of its takeover
The Taliban did not expect to achieve its goals in Afghanistan so quickly, the head of the Taliban’s political bureau in Qatar said Sunday.
“I must say that I did not expect that we would achieve such a success so quickly and so easily,” Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said of the Taliban’s dominance over the whole of Afghanistan, especially the capital Kabul.
“We must not be arrogant. We’ll have a heavy responsibility that we’ve never had before,” he said.
“Currently, we are passing through a very important test in terms of the delivery of services, safety and improvement of living conditions of the people of our country. We need to convince people how to protect their lives and their future,” he stressed.
Mohammad Naim, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s political office in Qatar, also noted that there is no danger to embassies, diplomatic missions and foreign nationals in Kabul, stressing that the Taliban will maintain security throughout the country.