It was the end of a decadeslong American military engagement overseas, and thousands of U.S. allies were clamoring to board the last planes leaving for, they hoped, eventual resettlement in the United States. Their capital had fallen. Deadly reprisals for those who stayed behind were almost certain.

It was 1975, the tumultuous backdrop was Southeast Asia, and Washington largely opened America’s doors, letting in some 300,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia over the next four years. Joe Biden, then a young U.S. senator from Delaware, co-sponsored landmark legislation that won unanimous passage in the Senate and was signed into law in 1980, divorcing refugee admissions from U.S. foreign policy and generally expanding the number allowed into the country each year.

Now, as similar scenes of chaos and desperation unfold in Kabul with the conclusion of America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan, most analysts say there is little chance the country will repeat the extensive refugee-resettlement effort that accompanied the end of the war in Vietnam.

Decades of lukewarm public sentiment over refugees, a toxic political stalemate over immigration and contemporary concerns over terrorism and the coronavirus pandemic have all but eliminated the possibility of a similar mass mobilisation.

Since the 1930s, polling by Gallup has shown time and again that Americans are ambivalent toward accepting refugees. As recently as 2018, amid a surge of Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans seeking safe haven, Americans said they would rather accept ordinary immigrants coming to look for better lives than refugees fleeing war and violence, according to the Pew Research Center — the opposite of respondents in 16 other Western countries.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485">WATCH</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The refugee law that Biden co-sponsored calls for the president to determine the number of refugee admissions for a given year based on humanitarian concerns or what is otherwise in the national interest, giving the White House wide latitude.

When the program began in 1980, the U.S. capped the number of refugees at 234,000. But that limit has trended generally downward since, hitting what many thought would be a low of 15,000 in the last year of the presidency of Donald Trump, whose hostility to all kinds of immigration was a cornerstone of his administration.

Biden ran on a pledge to adopt a more humane policy and rebuild the resettlement program, but the country is poised to admit the lowest number of refugees in the history of the program — there have been 6,246 through July 31 — partly because the pandemic closed consulates and delayed processing of applications.

The crisis conditions in Afghanistan have prompted urgent calls to resettle Afghans who are trying urgently to leave before a Taliban crackdown, starting with the translators and others who face retribution because of their work with the U.S. military.

“President Biden has said, ‘America is back’ — is the city on the hill. Now he has the chance to prove it,” said Ryan Crocker, whose long diplomatic career included stints as U.S. ambassador to both Iraq and Afghanistan.

More than a dozen governors from both parties have expressed a willingness to receive refugees, and faith-based groups across the country are volunteering to help sponsor Afghan families. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said the state had “a long history of welcoming refugees from around the world” and was “eager to continue that practice” with Afghan refugees.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghan-parliament-member-nabiullah-baz-speaks-with-wion-407506">WATCH</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghan-parliament-member-nabiullah-baz-speaks-with-wion-407506/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But with large numbers of people fleeing violence and poverty in Central America and other countries pushing recently across the border with Mexico, some conservatives are calling for a hard line against large numbers of Afghan refugees.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., said he was “deeply disturbed” that thousands of Afghans could be transported to Fort McCoy in his state without appropriate screening and called on the White House to abandon “this dangerous ready-fire-aim plan.”

And Fox News’ Tucker Carlson warned that admitting refugees now could eventually result in “millions” of Afghan immigrants. “So first we invade, and then we are invaded.”

What obligation, if any, does the United States have to accept people from other countries who are fleeing for their lives? None legally. There is no international law that requires the United States to take in refugees.

Yet, since the aftermath of World War II, it has played a leading role in welcoming refugees, especially from countries where it engaged militarily in the service of strategic and geopolitical considerations.

Between 1945 and 1950, the United States admitted about 350,000 Europeans, mainly Jews who survived the Holocaust.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower paroled some 40,000 Hungarians into the United States, and President John F. Kennedy went on to allow several hundred thousand Cubans opposed to the regime of Fidel Castro. Then came Vietnam and the exodus of hundreds of thousands of boat people after the fall of Saigon.

Also read :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/switzerland-postpones-evacuation-plans-as-security-at-kabul-airport-worsens-407480">Switzerland postpones evacuation plans as security at Kabul airport worsens</a>

In all of those cases, refugees were casualties of America’s Cold War campaign against communism, and they enjoyed a certain amount of public support.

“During the ’80s, refugees are relatively popular because they are seen as a symbol of the superiority of our political and economic system,” said Serena Parekh, author of two books on refugees, including “No Refuge: Ethics and the Global Refugee Crisis,” published last year. “They are part of Cold War politics and play well into national interests.”

In the late 1980s, the United States received tens of thousands of Soviet Jews and other religious minorities for whom the American public had sympathy. In the 1990s, there was an influx from the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

But by the late 1990s, the Congressional Black Caucus was criticizing the program for not assisting enough Africans fleeing bloodshed in countries such as Somalia, forcing them to remain parked in teeming camps. Public attitudes toward refugees already were shifting, said Parekh, a professor at Northeastern University.

“Refugees start to look more foreign or dissimilar to people in the U.S.,” she said. “Instead of being seen as people courageously fleeing persecution, they are seen as people who will be an economic burden.”

Also read :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/from-narco-terrorism-to-informal-economy-the-state-crime-nexus-of-afghanistans-opium-dilemma-407432" hreflang="en">From narco-terrorism to informal economy: The state-crime nexus of Afghanistan’s opium dilemma</a>

In response to 9/11, the United States invaded Afghanistan; two years later, it invaded Iraq.

Back home, public concern grew when immigrants — not refugees — were involved in a handful of other deadly terror attacks. The administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama added layers of security checks to the application process.

“The refugee program became so mired in red tape and extreme vetting that it looks like a program designed to keep people out of the United States rather than rescue them,” said Mark Hetfield, CEO of HIAS, a resettlement agency founded as Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and who has worked in the field for 32 years.

After terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, more than 20 governors announced that their states would not accept refugees from Syria, fearing terrorist infiltrators.

Not long after taking office, Trump slashed the refugee cap to 50,000 from the 110,000 set by Obama, and issued an executive order barring the entry of people from several predominantly Muslim countries. The next year, he set a ceiling of 45,000; fewer than half arrived amid tighter background checks and restrictions.

Biden quickly began to undo his predecessor’s immigration policies, but rising public concern over the rapid increase in unauthorized crossings on the southwestern border prompted him to defer a plan to increase the cap on refugees this year.

The delay forced 700 refugees, already screened and holding tickets, to be pulled off flights. There was swift rebuke from human rights activists and fellow Democrats, and within hours, the White House announced that the 2021 cap would be raised to 62,500. But it was not clear whether — given the pandemic, the program’s depletion by his predecessor and soaring numbers at the border — this number would be achieved.

As of March 31, the latest data available, 20,829 Afghans, plus 52,799 family members, had received special immigrant visas since 2014 under a separate program created by Congress for those who could face reprisals for their work with U.S. troops.

One of the Afghans who was evacuated and arrived in Houston this month, a 32-year-old interpreter who worked with a U.S. Marines platoon, said he managed to escape only days before his city, Gardez, south of Kabul, fell to the Taliban.

“I am just worried for so many people still there,” said the man, who wanted to be identified only by his English nickname, Harry, out of fear for the relatives he left behind. “They are hiding, or moving their families from place to place.”

Biden on Wednesday said the United States hoped to evacuate between 50,000 and 65,000 Afghan allies, including their families, and had approved an additional $500 million to help with “urgent refugee and migration needs.”

Many of them will be directed to other countries for processing. How many Afghans will eventually be welcomed into the United States remains an open question, one that Crocker, the former diplomat, said is key to everything the United States tried to achieve during the war.

“We owe it to Afghan females, the free media,” he said. “It’s for all those people we basically said to, ‘You go ahead and build a new, free open society and we will be here to see you get that done and that you get it done safely.’

“We have the moral obligation and the capacity to do it.”

It was the end of a decadeslong American military engagement overseas, and thousands of U.S. allies were clamoring to board the last planes leaving for, they hoped, eventual resettlement in the United States.

It was the end of a decadeslong American military engagement overseas, and thousands of U.S. allies were clamoring to board the last planes leaving for, they hoped, eventual resettlement in the United States. Their capital had fallen. Deadly reprisals for those who stayed behind were almost certain. It was 1975, the tumultuous backdrop was Southeast Asia, and Washington largely opened America’s doors, letting in some 300,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia over the next four years. Joe Biden, then a young U.S. senator from Delaware, co-sponsored landmark legislation that won unanimous passage in the Senate and was signed into law in 1980, divorcing refugee admissions from U.S. foreign policy and generally expanding the number allowed into the country each year. Now, as similar scenes of chaos and desperation unfold in Kabul with the conclusion of America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan, most analysts say there is little chance the country will repeat the extensive refugee-resettlement effort that accompanied the end of the war in Vietnam. Decades of lukewarm public sentiment over refugees, a toxic political stalemate over immigration and contemporary concerns over terrorism and the coronavirus pandemic have all but eliminated the possibility of a similar mass mobilisation. Since the 1930s, polling by Gallup has shown time and again that Americans are ambivalent toward accepting refugees. As recently as 2018, amid a surge of Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans seeking safe haven, Americans said they would rather accept ordinary immigrants coming to look for better lives than refugees fleeing war and violence, according to the Pew Research Center — the opposite of respondents in 16 other Western countries. WATCH The refugee law that Biden co-sponsored calls for the president to determine the number of refugee admissions for a given year based on humanitarian concerns or what is otherwise in the national interest, giving the White House wide latitude. When the program began in 1980, the U.S. capped the number of refugees at 234,000. But that limit has trended generally downward since, hitting what many thought would be a low of 15,000 in the last year of the presidency of Donald Trump, whose hostility to all kinds of immigration was a cornerstone of his administration. Biden ran on a pledge to adopt a more humane policy and rebuild the resettlement program, but the country is poised to admit the lowest number of refugees in the history of the program — there have been 6,246 through July 31 — partly because the pandemic closed consulates and delayed processing of applications. The crisis conditions in Afghanistan have prompted urgent calls to resettle Afghans who are trying urgently to leave before a Taliban crackdown, starting with the translators and others who face retribution because of their work with the U.S. military. “President Biden has said, ‘America is back’ — is the city on the hill. Now he has the chance to prove it,” said Ryan Crocker, whose long diplomatic career included stints as U.S. ambassador to both Iraq and Afghanistan. More than a dozen governors from both parties have expressed a willingness to receive refugees, and faith-based groups across the country are volunteering to help sponsor Afghan families. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said the state had “a long history of welcoming refugees from around the world” and was “eager to continue that practice” with Afghan refugees. WATCH But with large numbers of people fleeing violence and poverty in Central America and other countries pushing recently across the border with Mexico, some conservatives are calling for a hard line against large numbers of Afghan refugees. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., said he was “deeply disturbed” that thousands of Afghans could be transported to Fort McCoy in his state without appropriate screening and called on the White House to abandon “this dangerous ready-fire-aim plan.” And Fox News’ Tucker Carlson warned that admitting refugees now could eventually result in “millions” of Afghan immigrants. “So first we invade, and then we are invaded.” What obligation, if any, does the United States have to accept people from other countries who are fleeing for their lives? None legally. There is no international law that requires the United States to take in refugees. Yet, since the aftermath of World War II, it has played a leading role in welcoming refugees, especially from countries where it engaged militarily in the service of strategic and geopolitical considerations. Between 1945 and 1950, the United States admitted about 350,000 Europeans, mainly Jews who survived the Holocaust. President Dwight D. Eisenhower paroled some 40,000 Hungarians into the United States, and President John F. Kennedy went on to allow several hundred thousand Cubans opposed to the regime of Fidel Castro. Then came Vietnam and the exodus of hundreds of thousands of boat people after the fall of Saigon. Also read : Switzerland postpones evacuation plans as security at Kabul airport worsens In all of those cases, refugees were casualties of America’s Cold War campaign against communism, and they enjoyed a certain amount of public support. “During the ’80s, refugees are relatively popular because they are seen as a symbol of the superiority of our political and economic system,” said Serena Parekh, author of two books on refugees, including “No Refuge: Ethics and the Global Refugee Crisis,” published last year. “They are part of Cold War politics and play well into national interests.” In the late 1980s, the United States received tens of thousands of Soviet Jews and other religious minorities for whom the American public had sympathy. In the 1990s, there was an influx from the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. But by the late 1990s, the Congressional Black Caucus was criticizing the program for not assisting enough Africans fleeing bloodshed in countries such as Somalia, forcing them to remain parked in teeming camps. Public attitudes toward refugees already were shifting, said Parekh, a professor at Northeastern University. “Refugees start to look more foreign or dissimilar to people in the U.S.,” she said. “Instead of being seen as people courageously fleeing persecution, they are seen as people who will be an economic burden.” Also read : From narco-terrorism to informal economy: The state-crime nexus of Afghanistan’s opium dilemma In response to 9/11, the United States invaded Afghanistan; two years later, it invaded Iraq. Back home, public concern grew when immigrants — not refugees — were involved in a handful of other deadly terror attacks. The administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama added layers of security checks to the application process. “The refugee program became so mired in red tape and extreme vetting that it looks like a program designed to keep people out of the United States rather than rescue them,” said Mark Hetfield, CEO of HIAS, a resettlement agency founded as Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and who has worked in the field for 32 years. After terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, more than 20 governors announced that their states would not accept refugees from Syria, fearing terrorist infiltrators. Not long after taking office, Trump slashed the refugee cap to 50,000 from the 110,000 set by Obama, and issued an executive order barring the entry of people from several predominantly Muslim countries. The next year, he set a ceiling of 45,000; fewer than half arrived amid tighter background checks and restrictions. Biden quickly began to undo his predecessor’s immigration policies, but rising public concern over the rapid increase in unauthorized crossings on the southwestern border prompted him to defer a plan to increase the cap on refugees this year. The delay forced 700 refugees, already screened and holding tickets, to be pulled off flights. There was swift rebuke from human rights activists and fellow Democrats, and within hours, the White House announced that the 2021 cap would be raised to 62,500. But it was not clear whether — given the pandemic, the program’s depletion by his predecessor and soaring numbers at the border — this number would be achieved. As of March 31, the latest data available, 20,829 Afghans, plus 52,799 family members, had received special immigrant visas since 2014 under a separate program created by Congress for those who could face reprisals for their work with U.S. troops. One of the Afghans who was evacuated and arrived in Houston this month, a 32-year-old interpreter who worked with a U.S. Marines platoon, said he managed to escape only days before his city, Gardez, south of Kabul, fell to the Taliban. “I am just worried for so many people still there,” said the man, who wanted to be identified only by his English nickname, Harry, out of fear for the relatives he left behind. “They are hiding, or moving their families from place to place.” Biden on Wednesday said the United States hoped to evacuate between 50,000 and 65,000 Afghan allies, including their families, and had approved an additional $500 million to help with “urgent refugee and migration needs.” Many of them will be directed to other countries for processing. How many Afghans will eventually be welcomed into the United States remains an open question, one that Crocker, the former diplomat, said is key to everything the United States tried to achieve during the war. “We owe it to Afghan females, the free media,” he said. “It’s for all those people we basically said to, ‘You go ahead and build a new, free open society and we will be here to see you get that done and that you get it done safely.’ “We have the moral obligation and the capacity to do it.”

50 years after Vietnam, thousands flee another lost American war

"It's mathematically impossible" for the US and its allies to evacuate tens of thousands of their Afghan personnel and families by August 31, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned Saturday.

Borrell, speaking to AFP from Spain in a telephone interview, added that "we have complained" to the Americans that their security at Kabul airport was overly strict and hampering attempts by Afghans who worked for the Europeans to enter.

August 31 is the deadline the United States had announced for the complete pullout of its forces from Afghanistan, but President Joe Biden has flagged that might be extended if airlifts remain viable.

The US military is currently in control of Kabul's airport and running its air traffic control operations.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485">WATCH</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"As far as I know, for the moment the Americans haven't said they will stay beyond August 31, but they might change their thinking," Borrell said.

"They want to evacuate 60,000 people between now and the end of this month. It's mathematically impossible," he said.

Borrell told AFP that, for Europe's evacuation efforts, "the problem is access to the airport -- the US checks and security measures are very strong" and were preventing the passage of Afghan staff.

He said Brussels had lodged a complaint with the US, asking for "more flexibility".

The EU's top foreign policy official had been in Madrid accompanying European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on a visit to a Spanish air base receiving incoming flights carrying European citizens and Afghan personnel -- and several American citizens.&nbsp;

He said just 150 of the 400 Afghans employed by the EU have been evacuated so far. "I'm very aware that this is very insufficient," he said.

"Planes are leaving while people are still on the tarmac," he said.

Despite his exasperation, Borrell denied there were tensions between the European Union and the United States over the ongoing evacuations.

But, he said, questions will have to be asked over "why things happened like this" and evoked a future EU summit being called to address the situation that Europe has found itself in, and what the next steps should be regarding Afghanistan.

Borrell, who this week told the European Parliament that the chaotic evacuation scenes were a "catastrophe" for the West, underlined that the European Union has been working on for some time on a strategy paper that will propose a 50,000-strong rapid reaction force to tackle future crises.

"It's mathematically impossible" for the US and its allies to evacuate tens of thousands of their Afghan personnel and families by August 31, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned Saturday.

"It's mathematically impossible" for the US and its allies to evacuate tens of thousands of their Afghan personnel and families by August 31, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned Saturday. Borrell, speaking to AFP from Spain in a telephone interview, added that "we have complained" to the Americans that their security at Kabul airport was overly strict and hampering attempts by Afghans who worked for the Europeans to enter. August 31 is the deadline the United States had announced for the complete pullout of its forces from Afghanistan, but President Joe Biden has flagged that might be extended if airlifts remain viable. The US military is currently in control of Kabul's airport and running its air traffic control operations. WATCH "As far as I know, for the moment the Americans haven't said they will stay beyond August 31, but they might change their thinking," Borrell said. "They want to evacuate 60,000 people between now and the end of this month. It's mathematically impossible," he said. Borrell told AFP that, for Europe's evacuation efforts, "the problem is access to the airport -- the US checks and security measures are very strong" and were preventing the passage of Afghan staff. He said Brussels had lodged a complaint with the US, asking for "more flexibility". The EU's top foreign policy official had been in Madrid accompanying European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on a visit to a Spanish air base receiving incoming flights carrying European citizens and Afghan personnel -- and several American citizens. He said just 150 of the 400 Afghans employed by the EU have been evacuated so far. "I'm very aware that this is very insufficient," he said. "Planes are leaving while people are still on the tarmac," he said. Despite his exasperation, Borrell denied there were tensions between the European Union and the United States over the ongoing evacuations. But, he said, questions will have to be asked over "why things happened like this" and evoked a future EU summit being called to address the situation that Europe has found itself in, and what the next steps should be regarding Afghanistan. Borrell, who this week told the European Parliament that the chaotic evacuation scenes were a "catastrophe" for the West, underlined that the European Union has been working on for some time on a strategy paper that will propose a 50,000-strong rapid reaction force to tackle future crises.

'Impossible' to evacuate all allied Afghans by Aug 31: EU

As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, thousands of locals and foreign nationals tried their best to flee the country. However, one UK citizen has decided to stay back till all of his employees and family members have safely left Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p>

A little before the Taliban announced complete takeover of Kabul, even the former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. However, a former British Royal Marine, Paul ‘Pen’ Farthing, has shown more courage.<o:p></o:p>

Farthing served in the UK's Royal Marine for 22 years and then set up the 'Nowzad' animal shelter in 2007, in remembrance of his first rescue dog.<o:p></o:p>

Since 2007, Farthing had managed to grow his foundation and employ a staff of 25 Afghan nationals, who had been religiously serving the animals at the shelter.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485">WATCH</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I had an opportunity, the fact that I am a British citizen, I'm going to use that to full effect - so I've said I'm not going until my staff leave this country,"&nbsp;Farthing told news agency Reuters.<o:p></o:p>

His animal shelter has also given the country its first female veterinarians. This was a huge achievement for Farthing and his animal shelter as the Taliban had not allowed women to work under their previous regime and had strongly disapproved of keeping dogs as pets.<o:p></o:p>

As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Farthing decided to stay in the country to ensure his employees and family members are evacuated first. "My staff don't deserve the fate that awaits them if they stay here in Afghanistan," he said.<o:p></o:p>

Farthing has also pointed out that although there is a sense of calmness in the community, contrary to the expectations, the areas near the Kabul International Airport are the ones which are highly chaotic and violent. <o:p></o:p>

“You've got the British and Americans inside and then outside you've got this throng of people; and then you have the Taliban checkpoints," Farthing said.<o:p></o:p>

As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, thousands of locals and foreign nationals tried their best to flee the country. However, one UK citizen has decided to stay back till all of his employees and family members have safely left Afghanistan.

As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, thousands of locals and foreign nationals tried their best to flee the country. However, one UK citizen has decided to stay back till all of his employees and family members have safely left Afghanistan. A little before the Taliban announced complete takeover of Kabul, even the former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. However, a former British Royal Marine, Paul ‘Pen’ Farthing, has shown more courage. Farthing served in the UK's Royal Marine for 22 years and then set up the 'Nowzad' animal shelter in 2007, in remembrance of his first rescue dog. Since 2007, Farthing had managed to grow his foundation and employ a staff of 25 Afghan nationals, who had been religiously serving the animals at the shelter. WATCH "I had an opportunity, the fact that I am a British citizen, I'm going to use that to full effect - so I've said I'm not going until my staff leave this country," Farthing told news agency Reuters. His animal shelter has also given the country its first female veterinarians. This was a huge achievement for Farthing and his animal shelter as the Taliban had not allowed women to work under their previous regime and had strongly disapproved of keeping dogs as pets. As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Farthing decided to stay in the country to ensure his employees and family members are evacuated first. "My staff don't deserve the fate that awaits them if they stay here in Afghanistan," he said. Farthing has also pointed out that although there is a sense of calmness in the community, contrary to the expectations, the areas near the Kabul International Airport are the ones which are highly chaotic and violent. “You've got the British and Americans inside and then outside you've got this throng of people; and then you have the Taliban checkpoints," Farthing said.

UK citizen who runs animal shelter refuses to leave Afghanistan without his staff

The United States on Saturday urged its citizens in Afghanistan to avoid traveling to the Kabul airport for now, citing "potential security threats" near its gates.

The warning, posted on the website of the US Embassy in Afghanistan and tweeted by the State Department in Washington, provided no detail on the nature of the threat.

But conditions outside Hamid Karzai International Airport have been chaotic amid the crush of people hoping to flee the Taliban takeover of the country.

As thousands of Americans and Afghans wait in the airport for flights or gather outside its gates, there have been "sporadic" reports, confirmed by the Pentagon, of Taliban fighters beating and harassing people trying to flee.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485">WATCH</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising US citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a US government representative to do so," the US embassy alert said.

17,000 evacuated

Underlining the threat that the White House sees in the unfolding chaos -- and likely also due to concern over a hurricane approaching the US northeast -- President Joe Biden canceled a planned trip home to Delaware Saturday.

Pentagon officials, speaking not long after the warning was issued, declined to offer details of the threat, merely saying they were continuing to process people reaching the airport gates.

"There has been no reported change to the current enemy situation in and around the airport at this time," Major General Hank Taylor said.

He said 17,000 people had been evacuated since the operation began on August 14, with many flown first to Qatar or Kuwait. The total included 2,500 Americans.

In the past 24 hours, Taylor said, six military C-17 planes and 32 charter flights had departed the Kabul airport, carrying 3,800 people.

Taylor said three flights had already reached Dulles International Airport outside Washington, adding that Afghan citizens were being sent on to the Fort Bliss army base in western Texas for processing.

The United States hopes to evacuate a total of 30,000 Americans and Afghan civilians.

On Friday, the US military sent helicopters to rescue over 150 Americans unable to reach the airport gates, an official said.

That was the first evidence that US forces were willing and able to go beyond the US-secured compound to help people seeking evacuation.

American officials earlier confirmed that evacuation operations from Afghanistan had stalled for about seven hours Friday, because a receiving base in Qatar was overflowing.

Biden has promised to help any American in Afghanistan seeking to evacuate, saying, "Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home."

But he has admitted that the presence of thousands of US soldiers at the airport does not guarantee safe passage to that vast compound.

The United States on Saturday urged its citizens in Afghanistan to avoid traveling to the Kabul airport for now, citing "potential security threats" near its gates.

The United States on Saturday urged its citizens in Afghanistan to avoid traveling to the Kabul airport for now, citing "potential security threats" near its gates. The warning, posted on the website of the US Embassy in Afghanistan and tweeted by the State Department in Washington, provided no detail on the nature of the threat. But conditions outside Hamid Karzai International Airport have been chaotic amid the crush of people hoping to flee the Taliban takeover of the country. As thousands of Americans and Afghans wait in the airport for flights or gather outside its gates, there have been "sporadic" reports, confirmed by the Pentagon, of Taliban fighters beating and harassing people trying to flee. WATCH "Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising US citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a US government representative to do so," the US embassy alert said. 17,000 evacuated Underlining the threat that the White House sees in the unfolding chaos -- and likely also due to concern over a hurricane approaching the US northeast -- President Joe Biden canceled a planned trip home to Delaware Saturday. Pentagon officials, speaking not long after the warning was issued, declined to offer details of the threat, merely saying they were continuing to process people reaching the airport gates. "There has been no reported change to the current enemy situation in and around the airport at this time," Major General Hank Taylor said. He said 17,000 people had been evacuated since the operation began on August 14, with many flown first to Qatar or Kuwait. The total included 2,500 Americans. In the past 24 hours, Taylor said, six military C-17 planes and 32 charter flights had departed the Kabul airport, carrying 3,800 people. Taylor said three flights had already reached Dulles International Airport outside Washington, adding that Afghan citizens were being sent on to the Fort Bliss army base in western Texas for processing. The United States hopes to evacuate a total of 30,000 Americans and Afghan civilians. On Friday, the US military sent helicopters to rescue over 150 Americans unable to reach the airport gates, an official said. That was the first evidence that US forces were willing and able to go beyond the US-secured compound to help people seeking evacuation. American officials earlier confirmed that evacuation operations from Afghanistan had stalled for about seven hours Friday, because a receiving base in Qatar was overflowing. Biden has promised to help any American in Afghanistan seeking to evacuate, saying, "Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home." But he has admitted that the presence of thousands of US soldiers at the airport does not guarantee safe passage to that vast compound.

US tells citizens to avoid Kabul airport due to 'security threats'

Thousands rallied in central London on Saturday to protest the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and show solidarity with Afghans opposed to the new regime in Kabul.

Several thousand people descended on the centre of the British capital from lunchtime, massing in Hyde Park and marching down Whitehall past Downing Street, the residence and office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The UK leader has faced stinging criticism this week over his government's handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, as Britain, the United States and other Western allies struggle to evacuate their citizens and others from Kabul.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485">WATCH</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-created-the-taliban-407485/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Protesters at the London event marched behind a banner reading "Talib has not changed", while others held signs bearing slogans like "stop killing Afghans" and "stop the oppression of Afghan women".

Many attendees also waved the black, red and green national flag of Afghanistan and chanted slogans opposing the Taliban takeover.

The Taliban has insisted it will treat women fairly and not seek retribution against Afghans who cooperated with Western forces during their two-decade involvement in the country, as thousands try to flee from Kabul amid chaotic scenes.

Many Afghans and others, including those demonstrating in London, are highly sceptical about their reassurances amid reports that militants have already begun violent reprisals against people on so-called blacklists.

Thousands rallied in central London on Saturday to protest the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and show solidarity with Afghans opposed to the new regime in Kabul.

Thousands rallied in central London on Saturday to protest the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and show solidarity with Afghans opposed to the new regime in Kabul. Several thousand people descended on the centre of the British capital from lunchtime, massing in Hyde Park and marching down Whitehall past Downing Street, the residence and office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The UK leader has faced stinging criticism this week over his government's handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, as Britain, the United States and other Western allies struggle to evacuate their citizens and others from Kabul. WATCH Protesters at the London event marched behind a banner reading "Talib has not changed", while others held signs bearing slogans like "stop killing Afghans" and "stop the oppression of Afghan women". Many attendees also waved the black, red and green national flag of Afghanistan and chanted slogans opposing the Taliban takeover. The Taliban has insisted it will treat women fairly and not seek retribution against Afghans who cooperated with Western forces during their two-decade involvement in the country, as thousands try to flee from Kabul amid chaotic scenes. Many Afghans and others, including those demonstrating in London, are highly sceptical about their reassurances amid reports that militants have already begun violent reprisals against people on so-called blacklists.

Thousands rally in London decrying Taliban takeover

After women being sent back home from their workplace, turns out the Taliban is sending back Afghanistan’s government employees too.<o:p></o:p>

"I went to the office this morning, but the Taliban who were at the gate told us they have not received any orders to reopen government offices," said Hamdullah, a government employee was quoted by news agency AFP. "They told us to watch TV or listen to the radio for an announcement about when to resume work."<o:p></o:p>

Since the terrorist group, Taliban, took control of Afghanistan the women and minorities have been reporting incidents of inhumane treatment. However, turns out the Taliban have also been sending back government employees back home rather than letting them go to their workplaces.

Also read :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-alternative-to-taliban-any-kind-of-resistance-will-fail-russian-envoy-to-afghanistan-407450" hreflang="en">No alternative to Taliban: Russian envoy to Afghanistan</a>

<o:p></o:p>

As per local reports, all government officers, banks, passport offices, schools and universities have been closed, especially in Kabul, since the Taliban took over the capital city on Sunday.<o:p></o:p>

While the Taliban is yet to form and announce their new government in Afghanistan, the insurgents have started going around the cities on jeeps and motorbikes to patrol and stop all anti-Taliban activities.<o:p></o:p>

Dubbed as the 'Taliban patrol', members of the Taliban have been going around in the cities in groups and threatening and beating anyone who is found protesting against the new regimen or hoisting old Afghanistan flag.

<o:p>Also read :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/talibans-websites-go-offline-as-social-media-giants-crackdown-on-group-407446">Taliban's websites go offline as social media giants crackdown on group</a></o:p>

Majority of the roads have also been closed with several checkpoints installed at different points. In addition to all government offices, foreign exchange offices have also been shut since the Taliban took control.<o:p></o:p>

However, some members of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation in Kabul have been allowed to enter their officers after showing their official ID card, and a few private telecommunication companies have also been allowed to operate.<o:p></o:p>

After women being sent back home from their workplace, turns out the Taliban is sending back Afghanistan’s government employees too. "I went to the office this morning, but the Taliban who were at the gate told us they have not received any orders to reopen government offices," said Hamdullah, a government employee was quoted by news agency AFP.

After women being sent back home from their workplace, turns out the Taliban is sending back Afghanistan’s government employees too. "I went to the office this morning, but the Taliban who were at the gate told us they have not received any orders to reopen government offices," said Hamdullah, a government employee was quoted by news agency AFP. "They told us to watch TV or listen to the radio for an announcement about when to resume work." Since the terrorist group, Taliban, took control of Afghanistan the women and minorities have been reporting incidents of inhumane treatment. However, turns out the Taliban have also been sending back government employees back home rather than letting them go to their workplaces. Also read : No alternative to Taliban: Russian envoy to Afghanistan As per local reports, all government officers, banks, passport offices, schools and universities have been closed, especially in Kabul, since the Taliban took over the capital city on Sunday. While the Taliban is yet to form and announce their new government in Afghanistan, the insurgents have started going around the cities on jeeps and motorbikes to patrol and stop all anti-Taliban activities. Dubbed as the 'Taliban patrol', members of the Taliban have been going around in the cities in groups and threatening and beating anyone who is found protesting against the new regimen or hoisting old Afghanistan flag. Also read : Taliban's websites go offline as social media giants crackdown on group Majority of the roads have also been closed with several checkpoints installed at different points. In addition to all government offices, foreign exchange offices have also been shut since the Taliban took control. However, some members of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation in Kabul have been allowed to enter their officers after showing their official ID card, and a few private telecommunication companies have also been allowed to operate.

After women, Taliban send back Afghan's government employees

Taliban websites that delivered all important pieces of information to the rest of the world in different languages have gone offline abruptly.<o:p></o:p>

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, it has been painting a picture of change infront of the rest of the world. The Taliban have been trying to prove to the world that Afghanistan this time will be different under their rule, when compared to their previous regimen.<o:p></o:p>

However, locals have been narrating different sides of the reality and are coming ahead to prove that the situation is not that different from what it was before 2001.

<o:p>Also read : <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/with-new-afghan-govt-on-cards-talibans-co-founder-baradar-reaches-kabul-407410">With new Afghan govt on cards, Taliban's co-founder Baradar reaches Kabul</a></o:p>

In one such contradictory claim, the Taliban has tried to prove that they will be more open and fairer this time. However, on Friday as the Taliban websites went offline, the world started thinking if the Taliban have managed to take control over internet activities too.<o:p></o:p>

The Taliban deliver their victorious messages in five different language — Pashto, Arabic, Urdu, English and Dari — through a host of websites. However, all those websites were taken down abruptly on Friday, without giving any reason behind this move.<o:p></o:p>

These websites have been shielded by Cloudflare, which is a San Francisco-based content delivery network and denial of service protection provider. Cloudflare protects the websites by preventing the public from knowing who hosts the sites.<o:p></o:p>

This action has raised eyebrows as the Taliban today is highly tech-savvy and has heavily relied upon the internet to communicate all of its victorious messages and warnings.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-in-constant-contact-with-the-taliban-leadership-says-us-president-joe-biden-407415">WATCH&nbsp;</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-in-constant-contact-with-the-taliban-leadership-says-us-president-joe-biden-407415/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It is a possibility that the removal of these websites is just temporary as the Taliban decide new hosting arrangements.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Google have started removing all Taliban-related accounts and content from their platform to make sure no misinformation is passed on and their platforms are not used to spread more hatred or violence.<o:p></o:p>

WhatsApp is "obligated to adhere to US sanctions laws. This includes banning accounts that appear to represent themselves as official accounts of the Taliban," its spokesperson Danielle Meister told the AP.<o:p></o:p>

However, Twitter is one rare platform that has allowed the Taliban to operate on the social media platform. Taliban’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid still has more than 300,000 followers on Twitter. The social media platform says that the accounts will not be banned unless these people or groups misuse the platform to incite or glorify violence and hatred.<o:p></o:p>

Taliban websites that delivered all important pieces of information to the rest of the world in different languages have gone offline abruptly. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, it has been painting a picture of change infront of the rest of the world.

Taliban websites that delivered all important pieces of information to the rest of the world in different languages have gone offline abruptly. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, it has been painting a picture of change infront of the rest of the world. The Taliban have been trying to prove to the world that Afghanistan this time will be different under their rule, when compared to their previous regimen. However, locals have been narrating different sides of the reality and are coming ahead to prove that the situation is not that different from what it was before 2001. Also read : With new Afghan govt on cards, Taliban's co-founder Baradar reaches Kabul In one such contradictory claim, the Taliban has tried to prove that they will be more open and fairer this time. However, on Friday as the Taliban websites went offline, the world started thinking if the Taliban have managed to take control over internet activities too. The Taliban deliver their victorious messages in five different language — Pashto, Arabic, Urdu, English and Dari — through a host of websites. However, all those websites were taken down abruptly on Friday, without giving any reason behind this move. These websites have been shielded by Cloudflare, which is a San Francisco-based content delivery network and denial of service protection provider. Cloudflare protects the websites by preventing the public from knowing who hosts the sites. This action has raised eyebrows as the Taliban today is highly tech-savvy and has heavily relied upon the internet to communicate all of its victorious messages and warnings. WATCH It is a possibility that the removal of these websites is just temporary as the Taliban decide new hosting arrangements. Meanwhile, social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Google have started removing all Taliban-related accounts and content from their platform to make sure no misinformation is passed on and their platforms are not used to spread more hatred or violence. WhatsApp is "obligated to adhere to US sanctions laws. This includes banning accounts that appear to represent themselves as official accounts of the Taliban," its spokesperson Danielle Meister told the AP. However, Twitter is one rare platform that has allowed the Taliban to operate on the social media platform. Taliban’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid still has more than 300,000 followers on Twitter. The social media platform says that the accounts will not be banned unless these people or groups misuse the platform to incite or glorify violence and hatred.

Taliban's websites go offline as social media giants crackdown on group

Armed, but holy! Afghanistan observes first Friday prayers under Taliban rule

As the world is watching horrifying visuals of Afghan locals trying to escape the country by hanging to airplanes, the US Joint Chiefs Chairman said the Taliban are allowing all US citizens to reach Kabul airport to leave the country.

"The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;are&nbsp;facilitating&nbsp;the safe passage to the airport for American citizens. That is US passport holders," US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Miley said on Wednesday.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-taliban-may-not-last-long-says-afghan-delegation-in-pakistan-406687" hreflang="en">LIVE Afghanistan: Taliban may not last long, says Afghan delegation in Pak</a></h2>

This statement came a little before the Pentagon announced that nearly 7,000 civilians have been taken out of Kabul till now.

Talking to local media in the US, Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor said that 12 C-17 aircrafts have departed with nearly 2,000 refugees in the past 24 hours.

In addition to this, the US now has aircrafts to bring at least 5,000 to 9,000 civilians out of Afghanistan in the next few days. However, the conditions such as their process and weather still remain huge factors in the evacuation process.

Take a look :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/afghani-women-call-for-help-as-taliban-takes-over-the-country-406946" hreflang="en">Afghani women call for help as Taliban takes over the country</a>

As the US soldiers stand guard of the Kabul airport, horrifying videos have surfaced on social media in which people can be seen throwing their small children over the wired walls in hopes that the American troops will save them and take them away from Taliban’s regime.

In such a video, the US troops can be seen helping a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-woman-child-lifted-over-kabul-airport-wall-by-us-soldiers-406985">woman and a child</a> cross a tall wall as the two struggle to leave the country on any possible flight.

As the world is watching horrifying visuals of Afghan locals trying to escape the country by hanging to airplanes, the US Joint Chiefs Chairman said the Taliban are allowing all US citizens to reach Kabul airport to leave the country.

As the world is watching horrifying visuals of Afghan locals trying to escape the country by hanging to airplanes, the US Joint Chiefs Chairman said the Taliban are allowing all US citizens to reach Kabul airport to leave the country. "The Taliban are facilitating the safe passage to the airport for American citizens. That is US passport holders," US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Miley said on Wednesday. LIVE Afghanistan: Taliban may not last long, says Afghan delegation in Pak This statement came a little before the Pentagon announced that nearly 7,000 civilians have been taken out of Kabul till now. Talking to local media in the US, Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor said that 12 C-17 aircrafts have departed with nearly 2,000 refugees in the past 24 hours. In addition to this, the US now has aircrafts to bring at least 5,000 to 9,000 civilians out of Afghanistan in the next few days. However, the conditions such as their process and weather still remain huge factors in the evacuation process. Take a look : Afghani women call for help as Taliban takes over the country As the US soldiers stand guard of the Kabul airport, horrifying videos have surfaced on social media in which people can be seen throwing their small children over the wired walls in hopes that the American troops will save them and take them away from Taliban’s regime. In such a video, the US troops can be seen helping a woman and a child cross a tall wall as the two struggle to leave the country on any possible flight.

Taliban allowing US passport holders to reach Kabul airport: US general

Afghani women call for help as Taliban takes over the country

After Afghan&nbsp;filmmaker Sahraa Karimi's video went viral on social media, another director Hassan Fazili has and expressed concerns not just over the safety of his fellow Afghans back home, but also the overall state of art and culture under the impending Taliban regime.

"Even if we just pray or hope that the common Afghanis won’t have to face any execution or arrest, there’s simply no denying that the culture, cultural aesthetics or movement will stop. Filmmaking or performing art seems to be on the verge of destruction now,"&nbsp;Fazili told Indian newspaper The Times of India.

"Why am I fearing this? The reason is quite simple. We are well aware of the Taliban policies. They just want to destroy these cultural activities. It has been a taboo for them. For instance, the Taliban fails to accept that women too, can go outside and take part in social activities on their own." 
 
Fazili, whose films 'Mr Fazili’s Wife' and 'Life Again!' have won awards in the international film-festival circuit, fled Afghanistan after the Taliban had allegedly put out a hit on him several years ago. The trigger for Taliban's wrath was his documentary, 'Peace In Afghanistan'.&nbsp;

<h2>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/afghani-pop-star-aryana-flees-from-country-amid-fear-of-life-under-taliban-rule-406914" hreflang="en">Afghan&nbsp;pop star Aryana flees from country amid fear of life under Taliban rule</a></h2>

“Ironically, it’s the government officials who brought in some ridiculous restrictions that forced me to shut down a cafe for performing artists that I had started. So, you can understand, while things right now get worse, Afghanistan didn’t have the luxury of cultural freedom in the recent past," said&nbsp;Fazili, who currently lives in Germany.

"It’s only one example of how the artists in the country were getting bulldozed, while these two giant forces were fighting for power. Confronting both the Taliban and the Afghan government at the same time became a nightmare for us,” the filmmaker said.&nbsp; 
 
What he fears most is the living conditions of Afghans when the world will no longer be watching.

<h2>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-art-and-cinema-we-risk-of-losing-in-talibans-takeover-of-afghanistan-406118" hreflang="en">The art and cinema we risk of losing in Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan</a></h2>

“The moment we stop talking about Afghanistan, it will be more important to see what the Taliban actually do,” he said.

“Believe me they won’t do it initially in Kabul, rather it will start in places like Kandahar and the rural areas, and slowly — as they have done before — will move towards Kabul. So, the world needs to keep a tab on the Taliban for the greater good.”

Fazili also expressed his concerns over the members of small yet significant film community of Afghanistan and what would become of those who are now in hiding.&nbsp;

After Afghan filmmaker Sahraa Karimi's video went viral on social media, another director Hassan Fazili has and expressed concerns not just over the safety of his fellow Afghans back home, but also the overall state of art and culture under the impending Taliban regime.

After Afghan filmmaker Sahraa Karimi's video went viral on social media, another director Hassan Fazili has and expressed concerns not just over the safety of his fellow Afghans back home, but also the overall state of art and culture under the impending Taliban regime. "Even if we just pray or hope that the common Afghanis won’t have to face any execution or arrest, there’s simply no denying that the culture, cultural aesthetics or movement will stop. Filmmaking or performing art seems to be on the verge of destruction now," Fazili told Indian newspaper The Times of India. "Why am I fearing this? The reason is quite simple. We are well aware of the Taliban policies. They just want to destroy these cultural activities. It has been a taboo for them. For instance, the Taliban fails to accept that women too, can go outside and take part in social activities on their own." Fazili, whose films 'Mr Fazili’s Wife' and 'Life Again!' have won awards in the international film-festival circuit, fled Afghanistan after the Taliban had allegedly put out a hit on him several years ago. The trigger for Taliban's wrath was his documentary, 'Peace In Afghanistan'. Also read: Afghan pop star Aryana flees from country amid fear of life under Taliban rule “Ironically, it’s the government officials who brought in some ridiculous restrictions that forced me to shut down a cafe for performing artists that I had started. So, you can understand, while things right now get worse, Afghanistan didn’t have the luxury of cultural freedom in the recent past," said Fazili, who currently lives in Germany. "It’s only one example of how the artists in the country were getting bulldozed, while these two giant forces were fighting for power. Confronting both the Taliban and the Afghan government at the same time became a nightmare for us,” the filmmaker said. What he fears most is the living conditions of Afghans when the world will no longer be watching. Also read: The art and cinema we risk of losing in Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan “The moment we stop talking about Afghanistan, it will be more important to see what the Taliban actually do,” he said. “Believe me they won’t do it initially in Kabul, rather it will start in places like Kandahar and the rural areas, and slowly — as they have done before — will move towards Kabul. So, the world needs to keep a tab on the Taliban for the greater good.” Fazili also expressed his concerns over the members of small yet significant film community of Afghanistan and what would become of those who are now in hiding.

Afghan director Hassan Fazili on Taliban: Filmmaking is on the verge of destruction now

A nightmare has begun for the women in Afghanistan who are now struggling to find their voice in the new Taliban-ruled country. While the terrorist group claims they are going to give more freedom to women this time, the women tell a different story.<o:p></o:p>

Shabnam Dawran, an Afghan female anchor who works for a TV station RTA Pashto, was denied entry into her office citing regime change as a reason.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-several-killed-amid-firing-by-taliban-and-stampede-during-rally-in-asadabad-406687" hreflang="en">LIVE Afghanistan: Several killed amid firing by Taliban during rally</a></h2>

<o:p></o:p>

Dawran tried entering her office during her usual shift hours and was also carrying her ID badge. However, she was not allowed to enter the office premises.

"I went to RTA but they told me that the regime has changed. you are not allowed, go home,"&nbsp;she said in a video.

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This is the stark reality of women rights "within Islamic law". Meet <a href="https://twitter.com/shabnamdawran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@shabnamdawran</a>, TV presenter turned away by Taliban as she tried to work today. Despite wearing a hijab &amp; carrying correct ID, she was told: "The regime has changed. You are not allowed in here. Go home". <a href="https://t.co/y1imIAM6Yp">pic.twitter.com/y1imIAM6Yp</a>
— Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE (@ashalexcooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashalexcooper/status/1427956358696083457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Her video has revealed the truth behind Taliban’s lies.

The group has claimed that it will be giving more freedom to women in this new term of their rule in the country.

Taliban has claimed that it will allow women to step outside to go to the market without a male escort, study, go to work or reveal their ankles this time.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

However, the women in the country have revealed a different reality. Shabnam Dawran’s video shows that the reality is very different from what the Taliban is showing the world. This video has also reminded the world about the Taliban’s rule in the country before 2001.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taliban-unleash-its-wicked-face-open-fire-women-and-children-beaten-at-kabul-airport-406855">WATCH&nbsp;</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taliban-unleash-its-wicked-face-open-fire-women-and-children-beaten-at-kabul-airport-406855/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

At that time, the Taliban carried out public executions, stoned women and gave them less to no rights of freedom.

Some women have also claimed that they were sent back from their banking job by Taliban insurgents a little before the group took over the capital city.

It was also reported by local media that Taliban have asked for a list of women who are above the age of 15 and widow, so that those women can be converted into 'wives' of Taliban members.

A nightmare has begun for the women in Afghanistan who are now struggling to find their voice in the new Taliban-ruled country. While the terrorist group claims they are going to give more freedom to women this time, the women tell a different story.

A nightmare has begun for the women in Afghanistan who are now struggling to find their voice in the new Taliban-ruled country. While the terrorist group claims they are going to give more freedom to women this time, the women tell a different story. Shabnam Dawran, an Afghan female anchor who works for a TV station RTA Pashto, was denied entry into her office citing regime change as a reason. LIVE Afghanistan: Several killed amid firing by Taliban during rally Dawran tried entering her office during her usual shift hours and was also carrying her ID badge. However, she was not allowed to enter the office premises. "I went to RTA but they told me that the regime has changed. you are not allowed, go home," she said in a video. This is the stark reality of women rights "within Islamic law". Meet @shabnamdawran, TV presenter turned away by Taliban as she tried to work today. Despite wearing a hijab & carrying correct ID, she was told: "The regime has changed. You are not allowed in here. Go home". pic.twitter.com/y1imIAM6Yp — Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE (@ashalexcooper) August 18, 2021 × Her video has revealed the truth behind Taliban’s lies. The group has claimed that it will be giving more freedom to women in this new term of their rule in the country. Taliban has claimed that it will allow women to step outside to go to the market without a male escort, study, go to work or reveal their ankles this time. However, the women in the country have revealed a different reality. Shabnam Dawran’s video shows that the reality is very different from what the Taliban is showing the world. This video has also reminded the world about the Taliban’s rule in the country before 2001. WATCH At that time, the Taliban carried out public executions, stoned women and gave them less to no rights of freedom. Some women have also claimed that they were sent back from their banking job by Taliban insurgents a little before the group took over the capital city. It was also reported by local media that Taliban have asked for a list of women who are above the age of 15 and widow, so that those women can be converted into 'wives' of Taliban members.

Taliban takeover: Afghan anchor reveals she was sent back from office because of 'regime change'

Afghanistan is now in a bad shape since the militant group Taliban has taken control over the law and order of the nation. With shocking visuals coming from the landlocked nation, of people trying to flee the country, we wonder what will happen to their beautiful and culturally rich entertainment industry.&nbsp;

The Taliban known for their hardline Islamist approach to life and a dominant history of oppressing women -- understand Islamic law to forbid music and movies. Thus, there looms a danger of losing whatever growth the industry had witnessed since 2001 when cinema found its voice back after a deadpan silence.&nbsp;

Here’s taking a look at all that the world stands to lose if Taliban forces cinema to shutdown in Afghanistan:&nbsp;Actresses such as Leena Alam, Amina Jafari, Saba Sahar and Marina Gulbahari have established a name for themselves over the last decade.&nbsp;

Saba is also Afghanistan’s first female film director.&nbsp;

There is Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s 2011 film ‘Kandahar’ which also became the first Afghani film to enter the Cannes film festival.

Over the years, several films such as ‘Osama’ which won the Golden Globes in 2003, ‘Buzkashi Boys’ &nbsp;which was nominated for the Oscars in 2012 or &nbsp;‘A Letter to the President’ have made an impact worldwide.

Since many filmmakers escaped the country due to the wars, they began to make films outside Afghanistan. Some notable films made outside Afghanistan include 'Shirin Gul-o-Shir Agha'&nbsp;trilogy made in Russia, Foreign Land, Loori, 'Sheraghai Daghalbaaz', 'In The Wrong Hands', 'Shade of Fire', Al Qarem'&nbsp;in United States, 'Shekast'&nbsp;in Pakistan&nbsp;and in&nbsp;'Gridami' in Italy by Razi Mohebi among others.

Most notable of all were Academy-Award submission 'FireDancer' and France-based film 'Khakestar-o-khak'.

Just today, Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/anurag-kashyap-shares-afghan-filmmaker-sahraa-karimis-open-letter-appeal-as-taliban-enters-kabul-405871">shared a lengthy letter that was&nbsp;penned by Afghan filmmaker Sahraa Karimi </a>who wrote about the horrors the Taliban has been inflicting upon the people, selling girls off as child brides to their fighters and gouging out the eyes of women who did not wear the "right" clothes. She also wrote that the terrorist group is assassinating members of the government, notably the head of media and culture, as well as a comedian, a historian and a poet, and displacing hundreds of thousands of families, who are now living in unsanitary conditions in Kabul, their babies dying because there’s no milk.&nbsp;

Highlighting what Taliban rule could mean for Afghanistan’s creative community and its women, Karimi writes, "If the Taliban takes over it will ban art. I and other filmmakers could be next on their hit list. They will strip away women’s rights, we will be pushed to the shadows, to our homes, and our voices will be stifled into silence. Just in these few weeks, the Taliban have destroyed many schools and two million girls are now forced out of school." 
&nbsp;

Afghanistan is now in a bad shape since the militant group Taliban has taken control over the law and order of the nation. With shocking visuals coming from the landlocked nation, of people trying to flee the country, we wonder what will happen to their beautiful and culturally rich entertainment industry.

Afghanistan is now in a bad shape since the militant group Taliban has taken control over the law and order of the nation. With shocking visuals coming from the landlocked nation, of people trying to flee the country, we wonder what will happen to their beautiful and culturally rich entertainment industry. The Taliban known for their hardline Islamist approach to life and a dominant history of oppressing women -- understand Islamic law to forbid music and movies. Thus, there looms a danger of losing whatever growth the industry had witnessed since 2001 when cinema found its voice back after a deadpan silence. Here’s taking a look at all that the world stands to lose if Taliban forces cinema to shutdown in Afghanistan: Actresses such as Leena Alam, Amina Jafari, Saba Sahar and Marina Gulbahari have established a name for themselves over the last decade. Saba is also Afghanistan’s first female film director. There is Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s 2011 film ‘Kandahar’ which also became the first Afghani film to enter the Cannes film festival. Over the years, several films such as ‘Osama’ which won the Golden Globes in 2003, ‘Buzkashi Boys’ which was nominated for the Oscars in 2012 or ‘A Letter to the President’ have made an impact worldwide. Since many filmmakers escaped the country due to the wars, they began to make films outside Afghanistan. Some notable films made outside Afghanistan include 'Shirin Gul-o-Shir Agha' trilogy made in Russia, Foreign Land, Loori, 'Sheraghai Daghalbaaz', 'In The Wrong Hands', 'Shade of Fire', Al Qarem' in United States, 'Shekast' in Pakistan and in 'Gridami' in Italy by Razi Mohebi among others. Most notable of all were Academy-Award submission 'FireDancer' and France-based film 'Khakestar-o-khak'. Just today, Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap shared a lengthy letter that was penned by Afghan filmmaker Sahraa Karimi who wrote about the horrors the Taliban has been inflicting upon the people, selling girls off as child brides to their fighters and gouging out the eyes of women who did not wear the "right" clothes. She also wrote that the terrorist group is assassinating members of the government, notably the head of media and culture, as well as a comedian, a historian and a poet, and displacing hundreds of thousands of families, who are now living in unsanitary conditions in Kabul, their babies dying because there’s no milk. Highlighting what Taliban rule could mean for Afghanistan’s creative community and its women, Karimi writes, "If the Taliban takes over it will ban art. I and other filmmakers could be next on their hit list. They will strip away women’s rights, we will be pushed to the shadows, to our homes, and our voices will be stifled into silence. Just in these few weeks, the Taliban have destroyed many schools and two million girls are now forced out of school."

The art and cinema we risk of losing in Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan

Horrifying scenes from Afghanistan are now making their way to the internet as thousands try to flee the war torn country that is falling deeper into the hands of militant group Taliban, than ever before.&nbsp;

The Afghan government collapsed on August 15 as the Taliban entered Kabul virtually unopposed leading to massive chaos and utter disruption of law and order. With fear and mass displacement of people from their homes courtesy the unforeseen circumstances, Afghanistan is now facing a&nbsp;humanitarian crisis.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-india-brings-back-ambassador-embassy-staff-from-kabul-406158" hreflang="en">LIVE Afghanistan crisis: India brings ambassador, embassy staff from Kabul</a></h2>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-where-did-us-go-wrong-in-fight-against-taliban-406022">Afghanistan: Where did US go wrong in fight against Taliban?</a>

Here are some visuals that have been reported from Afghanistan as people hastily try&nbsp;to leave the country:

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In a desperate attempt to leave <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>, people are hanging on to the tires and the wing of the plane. Watch horrifying video of people falling from a flight takeoff at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a> Airport <a href="https://t.co/2g1DW29jSU">pic.twitter.com/2g1DW29jSU</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1427214932378996737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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People desparately running with the aircrafts. Shocking images from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a> airport. Watch!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taliban?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taliban</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> <a href="https://t.co/jGsArPzozo">pic.twitter.com/jGsArPzozo</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1427206946961063937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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After the Taliban swept <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a>, residents are desperate to flee <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>. Watch the chaos at the Kabul airport. <a href="https://t.co/WbxK1wzHdM">pic.twitter.com/WbxK1wzHdM</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1427152454479532038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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As the Taliban take control of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> presidential palace, former Afghan President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AshrafGhani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AshrafGhani</a>'s poster was pulled down. Watch! <a href="https://t.co/UL6VcwyRow">pic.twitter.com/UL6VcwyRow</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1427119931057860613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<img alt="afghanistan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7ac2386-3e79-4ecf-8543-495de7383509" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-377.jpg" />

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InPics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InPics</a> | Dramatic images have expounded, showing a scene of chaos on the runway, with civilians frantically clambering up an already overcrowded and buckling set of airstairs<a href="https://t.co/NmSGpSC5Kb">https://t.co/NmSGpSC5Kb</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1427238718558113797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gravitas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gravitas</a> | Barely a day after it took over <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a>, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taliban?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taliban</a> is controlling the streets of Afghanistan's capital. 
WION's correspondent <a href="https://twitter.com/AnasMallick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnasMallick</a> captured what Kabul looks like after the Taliban takeover.<a href="https://twitter.com/MollyGambhir?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MollyGambhir</a> <a href="https://t.co/gOr8sGazPR">pic.twitter.com/gOr8sGazPR</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1427332038546370561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Mayhem continuing at Kabul Airport. Shots being fired at individuals attempting to jump the wall <a href="https://t.co/aWbdigLF1o">pic.twitter.com/aWbdigLF1o</a>
— Saad Mohseni (@saadmohseni) <a href="https://twitter.com/saadmohseni/status/1427318610465280008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-osama-to-armadillo-6-movies-about-the-war-in-afghanistan-that-you-need-to-watch-399018" hreflang="en">From 'Osama' to 'Armadillo': 6 movies about the war in Afghanistan that you need to watch</a>

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify&nbsp;the authenticity of these videos and images.

Horrifying scenes from Afghanistan are now making their way to the internet as thousands try to flee the war torn country that is falling deeper into the hands of militant group Taliban, than ever before.

Horrifying scenes from Afghanistan are now making their way to the internet as thousands try to flee the war torn country that is falling deeper into the hands of militant group Taliban, than ever before. The Afghan government collapsed on August 15 as the Taliban entered Kabul virtually unopposed leading to massive chaos and utter disruption of law and order. With fear and mass displacement of people from their homes courtesy the unforeseen circumstances, Afghanistan is now facing a humanitarian crisis. LIVE Afghanistan crisis: India brings ambassador, embassy staff from Kabul ALSO READ | Afghanistan: Where did US go wrong in fight against Taliban? Here are some visuals that have been reported from Afghanistan as people hastily try to leave the country: In a desperate attempt to leave #Afghanistan, people are hanging on to the tires and the wing of the plane. Watch horrifying video of people falling from a flight takeoff at #Kabul Airport pic.twitter.com/2g1DW29jSU — WION (@WIONews) August 16, 2021 × People desparately running with the aircrafts. Shocking images from #Kabul airport. Watch!#Taliban #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/jGsArPzozo — WION (@WIONews) August 16, 2021 × After the Taliban swept #Kabul, residents are desperate to flee #Afghanistan. Watch the chaos at the Kabul airport. pic.twitter.com/WbxK1wzHdM — WION (@WIONews) August 16, 2021 × As the Taliban take control of the #Afghanistan presidential palace, former Afghan President #AshrafGhani's poster was pulled down. Watch! pic.twitter.com/UL6VcwyRow — WION (@WIONews) August 16, 2021 × #InPics | Dramatic images have expounded, showing a scene of chaos on the runway, with civilians frantically clambering up an already overcrowded and buckling set of airstairshttps://t.co/NmSGpSC5Kb — WION (@WIONews) August 16, 2021 × #Gravitas | Barely a day after it took over #Kabul, the #Taliban is controlling the streets of Afghanistan's capital. WION's correspondent @AnasMallick captured what Kabul looks like after the Taliban takeover.@MollyGambhir pic.twitter.com/gOr8sGazPR — WION (@WIONews) August 16, 2021 × Mayhem continuing at Kabul Airport. Shots being fired at individuals attempting to jump the wall pic.twitter.com/aWbdigLF1o — Saad Mohseni (@saadmohseni) August 16, 2021 × Also see: From 'Osama' to 'Armadillo': 6 movies about the war in Afghanistan that you need to watch Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of these videos and images.

WATCH - Kabul chaos: Shocking videos and photos from Afghanistan after Taliban takeover

It’s been a heavy week for us all as the world watches Afghanistan crumble in the hands of militant group Taliban that has taken control over major parts of the country. After US troops pulled out of the country, the Afghanistan government collapsed and gave in to the miscreants.&nbsp;

While the world watches with a heavy heart at the sad state of affairs, on Monday’s episode of The Late Show, Stephen Colbert said it feels like a ripped ‘Band Aid’ scenario. He dedicated his entire monologue to the Taliban’ takeover of Afghanistan and the US’ withdrawal from the country after 20 years.&nbsp;

Stephen Colbert said, “The US has been there for 20 years. We spent $2 trillion. We trained a 300,000-man strong Afghan army, and the Taliban took it over in 10 days. The country is in complete chaos.”

Stephen noted that US President Joe Biden is facing some flak for not leaving the country with some stability and support. He admitted that Biden will face the music “because he’s the President.” He then cut to a clip in which ABC’s Martha Raddatz referred to a “massive intelligence failure” on the part of the US.&nbsp;

<h2>ALSO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-kabul-chaos-shocking-videos-and-photos-from-afghanistan-after-taliban-takeover-406056" hreflang="en">WATCH - Kabul chaos: Shocking videos and photos from Afghanistan after Taliban takeover</a></h2>

Stephen said, “That’s gotta sting when people describe your foreign policy the same way they describe Ron DeSantis.” He admitted that “it’s hard to argue that the White House didn’t shank the withdrawal.”

Joe Biden had said in a July 8 press conference that “the likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.” Stephen said this was the most inaccurate prediction from a president since Abraham Lincoln said, ‘See you after the play.'”

<h2>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-art-and-cinema-we-risk-of-losing-in-talibans-takeover-of-afghanistan-406118" hreflang="en">The art and cinema we risk of losing in Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan</a></h2>

However, Stephen agreed that Biden was right in pulling out the troops as “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.” Stephen said, “He’s right. Why should our soldiers be fighting radicals in a civil war in Afghanistan? We’ve got our own on Capitol Hill. What’s happening now is the responsibility of both parties, and the American people who voted them into office.”

He also touched on Biden’s points that we, as a country, did everything we could for the Afghans, and that the Taliban would have taken over Afghanistan, regardless of the timing of U.S. withdrawal.

“Maybe Biden’s right. Maybe there was no good alternative. Were we never supposed to leave? Make Afghanistan the 51st state?” he wondered. “In the end, you can make us accept that there was no good alternative, but you can’t make us feel good about it. The only people who can feel good about this are the service members and their families who aren’t going to see soldiers sent into harm’s way for no reason that the commander-in-chief of either party can articulate.”

The host ended with, “So pulling out might be the right thing to do, but it’s heartbreaking, it’s humbling, when the right thing feels so wrong.” 
&nbsp;

It’s been a heavy week for us all as the world watches Afghanistan crumble in the hands of militant group Taliban that has taken control over major parts of the country.

It’s been a heavy week for us all as the world watches Afghanistan crumble in the hands of militant group Taliban that has taken control over major parts of the country. After US troops pulled out of the country, the Afghanistan government collapsed and gave in to the miscreants. While the world watches with a heavy heart at the sad state of affairs, on Monday’s episode of The Late Show, Stephen Colbert said it feels like a ripped ‘Band Aid’ scenario. He dedicated his entire monologue to the Taliban’ takeover of Afghanistan and the US’ withdrawal from the country after 20 years. Stephen Colbert said, “The US has been there for 20 years. We spent $2 trillion. We trained a 300,000-man strong Afghan army, and the Taliban took it over in 10 days. The country is in complete chaos.” Stephen noted that US President Joe Biden is facing some flak for not leaving the country with some stability and support. He admitted that Biden will face the music “because he’s the President.” He then cut to a clip in which ABC’s Martha Raddatz referred to a “massive intelligence failure” on the part of the US. ALSO WATCH - Kabul chaos: Shocking videos and photos from Afghanistan after Taliban takeover Stephen said, “That’s gotta sting when people describe your foreign policy the same way they describe Ron DeSantis.” He admitted that “it’s hard to argue that the White House didn’t shank the withdrawal.” Joe Biden had said in a July 8 press conference that “the likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.” Stephen said this was the most inaccurate prediction from a president since Abraham Lincoln said, ‘See you after the play.'” ALSO READ: The art and cinema we risk of losing in Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan However, Stephen agreed that Biden was right in pulling out the troops as “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.” Stephen said, “He’s right. Why should our soldiers be fighting radicals in a civil war in Afghanistan? We’ve got our own on Capitol Hill. What’s happening now is the responsibility of both parties, and the American people who voted them into office.” He also touched on Biden’s points that we, as a country, did everything we could for the Afghans, and that the Taliban would have taken over Afghanistan, regardless of the timing of U.S. withdrawal. “Maybe Biden’s right. Maybe there was no good alternative. Were we never supposed to leave? Make Afghanistan the 51st state?” he wondered. “In the end, you can make us accept that there was no good alternative, but you can’t make us feel good about it. The only people who can feel good about this are the service members and their families who aren’t going to see soldiers sent into harm’s way for no reason that the commander-in-chief of either party can articulate.” The host ended with, “So pulling out might be the right thing to do, but it’s heartbreaking, it’s humbling, when the right thing feels so wrong.”

Stephen Colbert on US pulling out of Afghanistan amid rise of Taliban: Right thing feels so wrong

Taliban are set to declare Afghanistan&nbsp;as an Islamic Emirate soon, as per senior members of the insurgent group. The flag of the country will also be changed&nbsp;as a symbol of the Taliban takeover.

The group took control of the presidential palace, soon after president Ashraf Ghani fled the country for Tajikistan.

As the day started, Taliban members were spotted entering the outskirts of Kabul on cars and motorbikes.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-taliban-take-control-of-afghanistan-presidential-palace-as-ghani-exits-country-405579" hreflang="en">LIVE:Taliban take control of Afghan presidential palace as Ghani exits country</a></h2>

After conquering Mazar-e-sharif and Jalalabad overnight, the Taliban turned towards capital Kabul. However, the group declared that it had no intention of taking over the city by force or violence and will wait for a 'peaceful transition of power' from the Afghan government.

As the Taliban proceeded to push its members in the capital city, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani commenced&nbsp;emergency talks with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad and other top NATO officials.

While Ghani was in talks with the NATO representatives, the US Embassy started rescuing its employees from Kabul through helicopters. Smoke could also be seen coming from the roof of the Embassy as it was believed that the American employees were burning all papers containing sensitive information.

<img alt="Image" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E80Ty0tXoAMNkD4?format=jpg&amp;name=large" />

As the Taliban reached the&nbsp;Torkham Gate, which is the main border crossing between the Pakistan city of Torkham and Afghanistan, reports of the possibility of Ghani's resignation started doing rounds in the media.

However, while the news was unsubstantiated at that moment, a few hours later the Interior Minister of Afghanistan reported that the President had left the country.

"The former president of Afghanistan left Afghanistan and left the country and the nation in a state of agreement, and may God be with him," said Abdullah Abdullah a little later.&nbsp;

As soon as Ghani fled the country, the Taliban ordered its members to enter Kabul and take hold of all checkpoints abandoned by the Afghan forces.&nbsp;

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/08/15/206792-an-afghan-soldier.jpg" />

However, the Taliban claim they have issued the order solely to protect the city from looting and chaos, and the locals should not be afraid of them.

The spokesperson has also urged locals to stay back in the country rather than fleeing as they plan to utilise the talents of the country. "No one should leave the country...we need all the talents and capacity, we need all of us to stay in the country and participate," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken&nbsp;addressed criticism against the US, with respect to Saigon and blasted the critics by saying, "This is not Saigon. The US has succeeded in its mission to stop attacks on US."

"It's simply not in our interests to remain in Afghanistan," he added.

A little after his statement, it was reported that the US Ambassador has left Kabul, along with the American flag from the Embassy.

Many countries have spoken against the Taliban take over and are now sending military flights to rescue nationals from Afghanistan.

While Ghani claims he left the country to avoid bloodshed and to prevent a "disaster", what is the future of this South Asian country under the rule of the Taliban is yet to be seen.

Taliban are set to declare Afghanistan as an Islamic Emirate soon, as per senior members of the insurgent group. The flag of the country will also be changed as a symbol of the Taliban takeover.

Taliban are set to declare Afghanistan as an Islamic Emirate soon, as per senior members of the insurgent group. The flag of the country will also be changed as a symbol of the Taliban takeover. The group took control of the presidential palace, soon after president Ashraf Ghani fled the country for Tajikistan. As the day started, Taliban members were spotted entering the outskirts of Kabul on cars and motorbikes. LIVE:Taliban take control of Afghan presidential palace as Ghani exits country After conquering Mazar-e-sharif and Jalalabad overnight, the Taliban turned towards capital Kabul. However, the group declared that it had no intention of taking over the city by force or violence and will wait for a 'peaceful transition of power' from the Afghan government. As the Taliban proceeded to push its members in the capital city, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani commenced emergency talks with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad and other top NATO officials. While Ghani was in talks with the NATO representatives, the US Embassy started rescuing its employees from Kabul through helicopters. Smoke could also be seen coming from the roof of the Embassy as it was believed that the American employees were burning all papers containing sensitive information. As the Taliban reached the Torkham Gate, which is the main border crossing between the Pakistan city of Torkham and Afghanistan, reports of the possibility of Ghani's resignation started doing rounds in the media. However, while the news was unsubstantiated at that moment, a few hours later the Interior Minister of Afghanistan reported that the President had left the country. "The former president of Afghanistan left Afghanistan and left the country and the nation in a state of agreement, and may God be with him," said Abdullah Abdullah a little later. As soon as Ghani fled the country, the Taliban ordered its members to enter Kabul and take hold of all checkpoints abandoned by the Afghan forces. However, the Taliban claim they have issued the order solely to protect the city from looting and chaos, and the locals should not be afraid of them. The spokesperson has also urged locals to stay back in the country rather than fleeing as they plan to utilise the talents of the country. "No one should leave the country...we need all the talents and capacity, we need all of us to stay in the country and participate," the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed criticism against the US, with respect to Saigon and blasted the critics by saying, "This is not Saigon. The US has succeeded in its mission to stop attacks on US." "It's simply not in our interests to remain in Afghanistan," he added. A little after his statement, it was reported that the US Ambassador has left Kabul, along with the American flag from the Embassy. Many countries have spoken against the Taliban take over and are now sending military flights to rescue nationals from Afghanistan. While Ghani claims he left the country to avoid bloodshed and to prevent a "disaster", what is the future of this South Asian country under the rule of the Taliban is yet to be seen.

Taliban to declare Afghanistan an Islamic Emirate as President Ghani exits country

India will repatriate Afghan Hindus and Sikhs amid the Taliban's takeover and bring them to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said.

"There are several Afghans who've been our partners in [promoting] mutual developmental, educational and people-to-people endeavours. We'll stand by them," said MEA spokesperson.

"Commercial operations from Kabul airport have been suspended today. This has forced a pause in our repatriation efforts. We are awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the process," he said.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that "We'll facilitate repatriation to India of those who wishes to leave Afghanistan. There are also several Afghans who've been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational &amp; people to people endeavours. We will stand by them."

"We had circulated emergency contact numbers &amp; had also been extending assistance to community members. We're aware that there are still some Indian nationals in Afghanistan who wish to return &amp; we're in touch with them," he added. 
 
Indians living or working in Afghanistan had been receiving periodic advice from New Delhi.

As the Taliban marched towards Kabul, they were encouraged to flee the country.

Although many Indians have gone, there are still others who are stranded in Afghanistan and want to return.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

India will repatriate Afghan Hindus and Sikhs amid the Taliban's takeover and bring them to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said. "There are several Afghans who've been our partners in [promoting] mutual developmental, educational and people-to-people endeavours.

India will repatriate Afghan Hindus and Sikhs amid the Taliban's takeover and bring them to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said. "There are several Afghans who've been our partners in [promoting] mutual developmental, educational and people-to-people endeavours. We'll stand by them," said MEA spokesperson. "Commercial operations from Kabul airport have been suspended today. This has forced a pause in our repatriation efforts. We are awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the process," he said. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that "We'll facilitate repatriation to India of those who wishes to leave Afghanistan. There are also several Afghans who've been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational & people to people endeavours. We will stand by them." "We had circulated emergency contact numbers & had also been extending assistance to community members. We're aware that there are still some Indian nationals in Afghanistan who wish to return & we're in touch with them," he added. Indians living or working in Afghanistan had been receiving periodic advice from New Delhi. As the Taliban marched towards Kabul, they were encouraged to flee the country. Although many Indians have gone, there are still others who are stranded in Afghanistan and want to return. (With inputs from agencies)

We'll help Afghan partners, Hindus and Sikhs come to India: New Delhi

Cricket will not be a casualty in the wake of drastic political change in Afghanistan, assured country's cricket board CEO Hamid Shinwari, saying the Taliban "love" and "support" the game.&nbsp;

Speaking to PTI from Kabul, Shinwari also assured that the members of the national team and their families are safe as the Taliban took over the reins of the country.

Star players including Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Zadran are playing in the UK in the 'Hundred' tournament.

"Taliban love cricket. They have supported us since the beginning. They did not interfere in our activities," said Shinwari.

"I don't see any interference and expect support so that our cricket can move forward. We have got an active chairman, I remain CEO until further notice," added the top Afghanistan Cricket Board official.

Cricket's rise in the country coincided with Taliban's rule between 1996 and 2001 with many Afghan refugees in neighbouring Pakistan picking up the sport.

"It can be said that cricket flourished during the Taliban era. It is also a fact that many of our players practised in Peshawar and they made the sport mainstream in Afghanistan.

"The good thing is that we are heading towards normalcy. The people have started working. We will resume our office from tomorrow and the national camp which was underway ahead of the Pakistan series in Sri Lanka will also resume after a two-day break with the change in regime," said Shinwari.

Talking about the players safety, he said: "Other than four or five players who are playing overseas the rest are all in Kabul. Like I said, they are safe and doing fine."

The BCCI is also keeping an eye on the developments and is hoping to see participation of Afghan players in the India Premier League. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-has-broken-shackles-of-slavery-says-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-405858">LIVE: Afghanistan crisis</a>

"It is too early to comment but we are keeping a watch. For us, nothing changes and we expect Rashid and other Afghan players would be part of IPL," a BCCI source said.

Afghanistan are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against Pakistan in Colombo from September 1. Shinwari said all their scheduled bilateral series remain on track and all three IPL bound players -- Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb -- have got NOCs from the board to take part in the cash-rich event ahead of the T20 World Cup. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/they-have-broken-shackles-of-slavery-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-endorses-talibans-takeover-of-afghanistan-406041">Also read | 'They have broken shackles of slavery': Pakistan PM Imran Khan endorses Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan</a> 
 
"We don't see any cricketing activity suffering with the change of regime," said Shinwari. Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen, who is involved with the 'Hundred' event in the UK, said Rashid is naturally worried about the situation back home.

"We had a long chat here on the boundary talking about it and he's worried. He can't get his family out of Afghanistan and there's a lot of things happening for him." Pietrsen told Sky Sports.

"For him to turn up and put on a performance like this under the pressure that he is currently under... for him to be able to forget that stuff and navigate his story and continue the momentum that he has - I think that's probably one of the most heart-warming stories of this Hundred so far."

Asadullah Khan, who resigned as Afghanistan chief selector earlier this month, also thinks that cricket will not be a casualty under the Taliban rule.

"I personally have gone to the areas where Taliban ruled. They really liked the game. So, from that point of view it should not be an issue.

"Too much political intervention in cricket has affected the sport negatively over the past 24 months and that needs to change," Khan said referring to the frequent administrative changes in the board and leadership of the national team.

Shinwari added that he hopes major cricketing powers including BCCI play with them more often, providing a big push to their finances and over health of the game in the country.

"We want to establish regular bilateral cricket ties with all cricketing giants including BCCI which has always been there for us," he added.

Cricket will not be a casualty in the wake of drastic political change in Afghanistan, assured country's cricket board CEO Hamid Shinwari, saying the Taliban "love" and "support" the game.

Cricket will not be a casualty in the wake of drastic political change in Afghanistan, assured country's cricket board CEO Hamid Shinwari, saying the Taliban "love" and "support" the game. Speaking to PTI from Kabul, Shinwari also assured that the members of the national team and their families are safe as the Taliban took over the reins of the country. Star players including Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Zadran are playing in the UK in the 'Hundred' tournament. "Taliban love cricket. They have supported us since the beginning. They did not interfere in our activities," said Shinwari. "I don't see any interference and expect support so that our cricket can move forward. We have got an active chairman, I remain CEO until further notice," added the top Afghanistan Cricket Board official. Cricket's rise in the country coincided with Taliban's rule between 1996 and 2001 with many Afghan refugees in neighbouring Pakistan picking up the sport. "It can be said that cricket flourished during the Taliban era. It is also a fact that many of our players practised in Peshawar and they made the sport mainstream in Afghanistan. "The good thing is that we are heading towards normalcy. The people have started working. We will resume our office from tomorrow and the national camp which was underway ahead of the Pakistan series in Sri Lanka will also resume after a two-day break with the change in regime," said Shinwari. Talking about the players safety, he said: "Other than four or five players who are playing overseas the rest are all in Kabul. Like I said, they are safe and doing fine." The BCCI is also keeping an eye on the developments and is hoping to see participation of Afghan players in the India Premier League. LIVE: Afghanistan crisis "It is too early to comment but we are keeping a watch. For us, nothing changes and we expect Rashid and other Afghan players would be part of IPL," a BCCI source said. Afghanistan are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against Pakistan in Colombo from September 1. Shinwari said all their scheduled bilateral series remain on track and all three IPL bound players -- Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb -- have got NOCs from the board to take part in the cash-rich event ahead of the T20 World Cup. Also read | 'They have broken shackles of slavery': Pakistan PM Imran Khan endorses Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan "We don't see any cricketing activity suffering with the change of regime," said Shinwari. Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen, who is involved with the 'Hundred' event in the UK, said Rashid is naturally worried about the situation back home. "We had a long chat here on the boundary talking about it and he's worried. He can't get his family out of Afghanistan and there's a lot of things happening for him." Pietrsen told Sky Sports. "For him to turn up and put on a performance like this under the pressure that he is currently under... for him to be able to forget that stuff and navigate his story and continue the momentum that he has - I think that's probably one of the most heart-warming stories of this Hundred so far." Asadullah Khan, who resigned as Afghanistan chief selector earlier this month, also thinks that cricket will not be a casualty under the Taliban rule. "I personally have gone to the areas where Taliban ruled. They really liked the game. So, from that point of view it should not be an issue. "Too much political intervention in cricket has affected the sport negatively over the past 24 months and that needs to change," Khan said referring to the frequent administrative changes in the board and leadership of the national team. Shinwari added that he hopes major cricketing powers including BCCI play with them more often, providing a big push to their finances and over health of the game in the country. "We want to establish regular bilateral cricket ties with all cricketing giants including BCCI which has always been there for us," he added.

Taliban love cricket, I don't see game suffering under their rule: Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO

As the Taliban took control of Kabul on Sunday, the women across the country are now fearing for their own safety and rights.

While the Taliban claims the situation regarding women's safety and rights will be different this time, scenes from a few days ago narrate a different story.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-taliban-take-control-of-afghanistan-presidential-palace-as-ghani-exits-country-405579" hreflang="en">LIVE: Taliban take control of Afghan presidential palace as Ghani exits country</a></h2>

Women of Afghanistan recalled that a few days ago groups of Taliban insurgents marched in the&nbsp;Azizi Bank in the southern city of Kandahar and ordered all women working in the bank to leave the premises immediately.

A gunman was sent along with those women to escort them back home. These female employees of the bank were threatened to never return to their jobs again.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dont-be-afraid-of-us-taliban-take-over-kabul-as-president-ghani-leaves-afghan-405780">'Don't be afraid': Taliban take over Kabul as President Ghani leaves Afghan</a>

"It's really strange to not be allowed to get to work, but now this is what it is," Noor Khatera, a 43-year-old woman who had worked in the accounts department of the bank told Reuters. "I taught myself English and even learned how to operate a computer, but now I will have to look for a place where I can just work with more women around."

A similar incident took place in Herat a few days after the first incident. Three armed insurgents entered the&nbsp;Bank Milli and verbally attacked the female employees for showing their faces. All women in the bank were sent home and their male relatives were asked to report to duty instead.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taliban-in-kabul-hcnr-head-abdullah-abdullah-addresses-ghani-as-former-president-405786">WATCH |</a>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taliban-in-kabul-hcnr-head-abdullah-abdullah-addresses-ghani-as-former-president-405786/embed" width="560"></iframe>

On Sunday, as the Taliban took control of Kabul&nbsp;the social media went abuzz with images that showed Taliban members painting over advertisements that featured women, the Taliban claimed that women will be given more freedom this time.

"We will respect rights of women...our policy is that women will have access to education and work, to wear the hijab," Taliban Spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on a live BBC report.&nbsp;

However, the truth will only be revealed a few days after the Taliban has completely taken over the capital city. While the Taliban claim they will be more respectful towards women and minorities this time, whether or not that is the truth remains to be seen.

As the Taliban took control of Kabul on Sunday, the women across the country are now fearing for their own safety and rights. While the Taliban claims the situation regarding women's safety and rights will be different this time, scenes from a few days ago narrate a different story.

As the Taliban took control of Kabul on Sunday, the women across the country are now fearing for their own safety and rights. While the Taliban claims the situation regarding women's safety and rights will be different this time, scenes from a few days ago narrate a different story. LIVE: Taliban take control of Afghan presidential palace as Ghani exits country Women of Afghanistan recalled that a few days ago groups of Taliban insurgents marched in the Azizi Bank in the southern city of Kandahar and ordered all women working in the bank to leave the premises immediately. A gunman was sent along with those women to escort them back home. These female employees of the bank were threatened to never return to their jobs again. Also read | 'Don't be afraid': Taliban take over Kabul as President Ghani leaves Afghan "It's really strange to not be allowed to get to work, but now this is what it is," Noor Khatera, a 43-year-old woman who had worked in the accounts department of the bank told Reuters. "I taught myself English and even learned how to operate a computer, but now I will have to look for a place where I can just work with more women around." A similar incident took place in Herat a few days after the first incident. Three armed insurgents entered the Bank Milli and verbally attacked the female employees for showing their faces. All women in the bank were sent home and their male relatives were asked to report to duty instead. WATCH | On Sunday, as the Taliban took control of Kabul the social media went abuzz with images that showed Taliban members painting over advertisements that featured women, the Taliban claimed that women will be given more freedom this time. "We will respect rights of women...our policy is that women will have access to education and work, to wear the hijab," Taliban Spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on a live BBC report. However, the truth will only be revealed a few days after the Taliban has completely taken over the capital city. While the Taliban claim they will be more respectful towards women and minorities this time, whether or not that is the truth remains to be seen.

Insurgents send female bank employees home as Taliban take control of Kabul

As the Taliban took control of Kabul on Sunday, the women across the country are now fearing for their own safety and rights.

While the Taliban claims the situation regarding women's safety and rights will be different this time, scenes from a few days ago narrate a different story.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-taliban-take-control-of-afghanistan-presidential-palace-as-ghani-exits-country-405579" hreflang="en">LIVE: Taliban take control of Afghan presidential palace as Ghani exits country</a></h2>

Women of Afghanistan recalled that a few days ago groups of Taliban insurgents marched in the&nbsp;Azizi Bank in the southern city of Kandahar and ordered all women working in the bank to leave the premises immediately.

A gunman was sent along with those women to escort them back home. These female employees of the bank were threatened to never return to their jobs again.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dont-be-afraid-of-us-taliban-take-over-kabul-as-president-ghani-leaves-afghan-405780">'Don't be afraid': Taliban take over Kabul as President Ghani leaves Afghan</a>

"It's really strange to not be allowed to get to work, but now this is what it is," Noor Khatera, a 43-year-old woman who had worked in the accounts department of the bank told Reuters. "I taught myself English and even learned how to operate a computer, but now I will have to look for a place where I can just work with more women around."

A similar incident took place in Herat a few days after the first incident. Three armed insurgents entered the&nbsp;Bank Milli and verbally attacked the female employees for showing their faces. All women in the bank were sent home and their male relatives were asked to report to duty instead.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taliban-in-kabul-hcnr-head-abdullah-abdullah-addresses-ghani-as-former-president-405786">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taliban-in-kabul-hcnr-head-abdullah-abdullah-addresses-ghani-as-former-president-405786/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On Sunday, as the Taliban took control of Kabul&nbsp;the social media went abuzz with images that showed Taliban members painting over advertisements that featured women, the Taliban claimed that women will be given more freedom this time.

"We will respect rights of women...our policy is that women will have access to education and work, to wear the hijab," Taliban Spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on a live BBC report.&nbsp;

However, the truth will only be revealed a few days after the Taliban has completely taken over the capital city. While the Taliban claim they will be more respectful towards women and minorities this time, whether or not that is the truth remains to be seen.

The Taliban outlawed dozens of seemingly innocuous activities and pastimes in Afghanistan during their 1996-2001 rule -- including kite flying, TV soap operas, pigeon racing, fancy haircuts, and even playing music.

These have made a comeback in the years since, but fears are growing they will be banned again if the hardline Islamists return to power.

The insurgents have made enormous military and territorial gains since US troops began their final withdrawal in May, and their leaders say they want Afghanistan to return to being an Islamic emirate ruled by religious elders.

AFP looks at some of the activities the Taliban banned, and the fears of those now taking part in them.

The musician 
Sayed Mohammad makes a living as a professional musician playing the japani, a traditional Central Asian stringed instrument he first picked up as a boy. 
 
He still remembers the evening two decades ago when the Taliban broke into a house where he and his friends were playing music and singing songs.

According to the Taliban's strict interpretation of Islam, only the human voice should produce music -- and only in praise of God.

"I was young, so I was beaten less than my friends," said Mohammad, now 40 and a resident of the former insurgent bastion of Kandahar.

"I was still unable to stand for three days," he added.

He was lucky, he said, describing how on another occasion the Taliban cut off the fingers of one of his friends for playing the japani.

When the insurgents were ousted, Mohammad celebrated by attending a concert.

"When the music played, I felt a tremor passing through my body out of sheer joy," he said.

"Joy that our country was free and that people were now free to start a new life."

Since then, many Afghans like Mohammad have become professional musicians and singers.

"There is no pleasure in life if we live in fear," the father of eight told AFP.

He is determined to pursue his passion -- even if the Taliban return to power.

"It's like an addiction. Even if they cut our fingers we will still play music."

The makeup artist 
In a small shop in the Afghan capital Kabul, beautician Farida transforms a shy young Afghan woman into a radiant bride-to-be. 
 
Oversized false eyelashes are delicately glued on, followed by the application of a rich carmine-red lipstick. Next comes eyeshadow, before beige and ochre blush is delicately brushed on.

Despite its bustling popularity, Farida's beauty parlour is one of hundreds across the country that face an uncertain future.

The Taliban severely restricted the movement and activities of women and girls during their rule, and banned beauty parlours from operating in public.

"If they come back, we'll never have the freedom we have now," said 27-year-old Farida, who asked not to be further identified.

"They don't want women working."

Farida's shop is busiest on Thursday and Friday -- the weekend in Afghanistan, when hundreds gather for huge wedding ceremonies.

Out of the sight of men, the women come to be pampered for a few hours.

Beauty comes at a price, however. At Farida's salon, one of Kabul's most popular, a full treatment package can cost up to $300.

"I think the Taliban will force us to leave when they come," Farida said, adding she would love to move to Canada given a chance.

The kite-maker 
In a bustling Kabul market shop, surrounded by hundreds of colourful kites of all sizes, Zelgai says he is determined not to give up the business his family has run for generations -- and he has flown close to the wind before.

The Taliban outlawed kite flying on the grounds it distracted young men from praying and other religious activities, but Zelgai and his family kept operating.

"Of course, we did it in secret," the 59-year-old told AFP at his shop in the capital's Shor bazaar. 
 
His colourful store has hundreds of fragile ready-made kites for sale, and he also takes orders for elaborate custom designs.

And business has soared in the years since the Taliban were ousted.

"This is freedom... we are able to showcase and sell our kites openly without any fear," Zelgai said.

The much-loved national pastime earned a reputation abroad after Afghan author Khaled Hosseini's 2003 bestselling novel "The Kite Runner" was turned into a film.

Today, when the wind is right, thousands of kites can be seen fluttering in Afghanistan's clear blue skies.

Some are engaged in fights, with the pilots trying to outwit each other with their flying skills and some using glass-encrusted twine to cut the strings of their opponents.

"People would suffer if it is banned. Thousands of families survive on this," Zelgai said.

The breakdancer 
The day Manizha Talash took up breakdancing she knew she would become a target for the Taliban.

Talash is the only female member of a group of mostly Hazara boys who practice breakdancing in Kabul -- usually in secret.

The 18-year-old has the support of her mother, who has several jobs to support the family after her husband went missing a few years ago.

But for Talash, who dreams of representing Afghanistan at the Olympics, the risks of continuing are multiple.

Not only is she a girl taking part in a forbidden activity, she is also a member of the Hazara community, considered heretical by some Muslim radicals.

"If the Taliban have not changed and they lock women at homes and trample their rights, then life would be meaningless for me and for millions of other women of Afghanistan," said Talash.

Despite the risks -- the troupe was forced to switch practice venues after receiving death threats -- she is determined to pursue her passion.

There have been women pioneers in many fields in Afghanistan, and Talash now sees herself as one of them.

"We had no women police officers before; now you see them everywhere," she said, dressed in a t-shirt, cap and black leggings -- an outfit that would be anathema to the Taliban.

"I took the risk of becoming a target. I have fear in my heart but I won't give up."

The shisha smoker 
On the bank of a river flowing through the eastern city of Jalalabad, Mohammad Saleem and his friends gather every evening to smoke shisha, an ancient pastime enjoying something of a renaissance across the world.

"Smoking shisha is very normal at the moment in Afghanistan," said Saleem, puffing the vapours of fruit-flavoured tobacco from a bubbling hookah.

But the Taliban say it is an intoxicant -- something prohibited by the Koran.

Shisha cafes have popped up across the country since the fall of the Taliban, serving hot saffron tea to customers occupied with their pipes.

Cafe owner Bakhtyar Ahmad believes the habit is a good way to keep youngsters off the streets -- or from indulging in worse vices, such as drugs.

"There is peace here. We serve shisha and we play music in the cafe," Ahmad said.

"If the Taliban come back with their old ideas then they will stop us."

Shisha smokers agree.&nbsp;

"It will not be possible to go for a picnic or smoke shisha by the side of a river like now," Saleem said.&nbsp;

The barber 
Business is brisk at Mohammad Ghaderi's salon in the western city of Herat, with young men lining up for a shave or fancy haircut that matches their favourite Bollywood or Hollywood actor.

"Afghanistan has entered a new world," said Ghaderi, a men's hairstylist for nearly 10 years.

"There are more hairdressers now, more young people taking to fashion... the government is not against it like the way the Taliban were."

While men in rural areas tend to stick to Islamic styles -- a shaved top lip, a beard longer than a man's fist -- city slickers are a parade of the latest fashion.

But Ghaderi and his customers fear their individualism will end if the Taliban return.

"We are afraid that if the Taliban enter the city and the bazaar, they might be the same as they were 20 years ago," he said.

"Again women will be in burqa and young men would not be free to do what they want," added Sanaullah Amin, a regular customer.

The Taliban outlawed dozens of seemingly innocuous activities and pastimes in Afghanistan during their 1996-2001 rule -- including kite flying, TV soap operas, pigeon racing, fancy haircuts, and even playing music.

The Taliban outlawed dozens of seemingly innocuous activities and pastimes in Afghanistan during their 1996-2001 rule -- including kite flying, TV soap operas, pigeon racing, fancy haircuts, and even playing music. These have made a comeback in the years since, but fears are growing they will be banned again if the hardline Islamists return to power. The insurgents have made enormous military and territorial gains since US troops began their final withdrawal in May, and their leaders say they want Afghanistan to return to being an Islamic emirate ruled by religious elders. AFP looks at some of the activities the Taliban banned, and the fears of those now taking part in them. The musician Sayed Mohammad makes a living as a professional musician playing the japani, a traditional Central Asian stringed instrument he first picked up as a boy. He still remembers the evening two decades ago when the Taliban broke into a house where he and his friends were playing music and singing songs. According to the Taliban's strict interpretation of Islam, only the human voice should produce music -- and only in praise of God. "I was young, so I was beaten less than my friends," said Mohammad, now 40 and a resident of the former insurgent bastion of Kandahar. "I was still unable to stand for three days," he added. He was lucky, he said, describing how on another occasion the Taliban cut off the fingers of one of his friends for playing the japani. When the insurgents were ousted, Mohammad celebrated by attending a concert. "When the music played, I felt a tremor passing through my body out of sheer joy," he said. "Joy that our country was free and that people were now free to start a new life." Since then, many Afghans like Mohammad have become professional musicians and singers. "There is no pleasure in life if we live in fear," the father of eight told AFP. He is determined to pursue his passion -- even if the Taliban return to power. "It's like an addiction. Even if they cut our fingers we will still play music." The makeup artist In a small shop in the Afghan capital Kabul, beautician Farida transforms a shy young Afghan woman into a radiant bride-to-be. Oversized false eyelashes are delicately glued on, followed by the application of a rich carmine-red lipstick. Next comes eyeshadow, before beige and ochre blush is delicately brushed on. Despite its bustling popularity, Farida's beauty parlour is one of hundreds across the country that face an uncertain future. The Taliban severely restricted the movement and activities of women and girls during their rule, and banned beauty parlours from operating in public. "If they come back, we'll never have the freedom we have now," said 27-year-old Farida, who asked not to be further identified. "They don't want women working." Farida's shop is busiest on Thursday and Friday -- the weekend in Afghanistan, when hundreds gather for huge wedding ceremonies. Out of the sight of men, the women come to be pampered for a few hours. Beauty comes at a price, however. At Farida's salon, one of Kabul's most popular, a full treatment package can cost up to $300. "I think the Taliban will force us to leave when they come," Farida said, adding she would love to move to Canada given a chance. The kite-maker In a bustling Kabul market shop, surrounded by hundreds of colourful kites of all sizes, Zelgai says he is determined not to give up the business his family has run for generations -- and he has flown close to the wind before. The Taliban outlawed kite flying on the grounds it distracted young men from praying and other religious activities, but Zelgai and his family kept operating. "Of course, we did it in secret," the 59-year-old told AFP at his shop in the capital's Shor bazaar. His colourful store has hundreds of fragile ready-made kites for sale, and he also takes orders for elaborate custom designs. And business has soared in the years since the Taliban were ousted. "This is freedom... we are able to showcase and sell our kites openly without any fear," Zelgai said. The much-loved national pastime earned a reputation abroad after Afghan author Khaled Hosseini's 2003 bestselling novel "The Kite Runner" was turned into a film. Today, when the wind is right, thousands of kites can be seen fluttering in Afghanistan's clear blue skies. Some are engaged in fights, with the pilots trying to outwit each other with their flying skills and some using glass-encrusted twine to cut the strings of their opponents. "People would suffer if it is banned. Thousands of families survive on this," Zelgai said. The breakdancer The day Manizha Talash took up breakdancing she knew she would become a target for the Taliban. Talash is the only female member of a group of mostly Hazara boys who practice breakdancing in Kabul -- usually in secret. The 18-year-old has the support of her mother, who has several jobs to support the family after her husband went missing a few years ago. But for Talash, who dreams of representing Afghanistan at the Olympics, the risks of continuing are multiple. Not only is she a girl taking part in a forbidden activity, she is also a member of the Hazara community, considered heretical by some Muslim radicals. "If the Taliban have not changed and they lock women at homes and trample their rights, then life would be meaningless for me and for millions of other women of Afghanistan," said Talash. Despite the risks -- the troupe was forced to switch practice venues after receiving death threats -- she is determined to pursue her passion. There have been women pioneers in many fields in Afghanistan, and Talash now sees herself as one of them. "We had no women police officers before; now you see them everywhere," she said, dressed in a t-shirt, cap and black leggings -- an outfit that would be anathema to the Taliban. "I took the risk of becoming a target. I have fear in my heart but I won't give up." The shisha smoker On the bank of a river flowing through the eastern city of Jalalabad, Mohammad Saleem and his friends gather every evening to smoke shisha, an ancient pastime enjoying something of a renaissance across the world. "Smoking shisha is very normal at the moment in Afghanistan," said Saleem, puffing the vapours of fruit-flavoured tobacco from a bubbling hookah. But the Taliban say it is an intoxicant -- something prohibited by the Koran. Shisha cafes have popped up across the country since the fall of the Taliban, serving hot saffron tea to customers occupied with their pipes. Cafe owner Bakhtyar Ahmad believes the habit is a good way to keep youngsters off the streets -- or from indulging in worse vices, such as drugs. "There is peace here. We serve shisha and we play music in the cafe," Ahmad said. "If the Taliban come back with their old ideas then they will stop us." Shisha smokers agree. "It will not be possible to go for a picnic or smoke shisha by the side of a river like now," Saleem said. The barber Business is brisk at Mohammad Ghaderi's salon in the western city of Herat, with young men lining up for a shave or fancy haircut that matches their favourite Bollywood or Hollywood actor. "Afghanistan has entered a new world," said Ghaderi, a men's hairstylist for nearly 10 years. "There are more hairdressers now, more young people taking to fashion... the government is not against it like the way the Taliban were." While men in rural areas tend to stick to Islamic styles -- a shaved top lip, a beard longer than a man's fist -- city slickers are a parade of the latest fashion. But Ghaderi and his customers fear their individualism will end if the Taliban return. "We are afraid that if the Taliban enter the city and the bazaar, they might be the same as they were 20 years ago," he said. "Again women will be in burqa and young men would not be free to do what they want," added Sanaullah Amin, a regular customer.

'Talibanned': From kite-running to breakdancing, Afghan pastimes again under threat

While Washington continues troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, lawmakers in US have demanded answers from the Biden administration on its evacuation plan concerning 18,000 Afghans and&nbsp;their families who had supported the US-led war on terror. 
 
This comes amid reports that Pakistan is supporting the Taliban amass tanks and weapons across the border.

Acting Interior Minister of Afghanistan, Gen&nbsp;Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal, has exposed the Pakistani role. Gen&nbsp;Mirzakwal said, "There is also information that the Taliban take some [military]&nbsp;tanks to Pakistan through Zabul province [in southern Afghanistan]. The National Security Council and the Commander in Chief have ordered permanent patrols to target any tank that is tried to be taken to Pakistan.”

His comments were echoed by other senior officials of the Afghan security establishment who claim to have seen proof of Pakistani involvement. Head of the independent directorate of local governance Shamim Khan Katawazai claimed, "They [Taliban]&nbsp;have taken military equipment owned by security forces across the Durand line. There are evidence and footage about this. Pakistani soldiers have clicked photos with them.”

The alarm raised by Afghan security establishment comes at a time when Afghan forces are engaged in fierce fighting with the Taliban in many parts of the country. The militant group has captured tanks and&nbsp;weapons as it continues to run over districts, bases and&nbsp;government held positions.

Meanwhile former US National Security Adviser John Bolton revealed that&nbsp;over the last two decades, Islamabad has provided a safe haven to Taliban fighters. Bolton, who served as the US National Security Adviser under Trump, also slammed Pakistan for helping the Taliban stage attacks on Afghan and&nbsp;US troops.

Bolton has warned Islamabad against playing with fire, "Parts of the Pakistani government are directly responsible for the Taliban’s return to power. If the Taliban seizes the power in Afghanistan, it will also be a threat to Pakistan as the extremist pressure on the Pakistani government will increase.”

The reports coming out of Afghanistan are alarming. They follow a US intelligence report, which warned that the government in Kabul could fall to the Taliban in six months following the US troop withdrawal.

While the Biden administration has committed to a complete US troop withdrawal by September 11&nbsp;this year, there is no concrete plan yet to evacuate the 18,000 Afghans who have applied for a Special Immigration Visa (SIV). These are drivers, navigators and&nbsp;interpreters who helped American troops in the war on terror. Lawmakers are demanding answers from Biden on how his government plans to evacuate these Afghans and&nbsp;53,000 family members.

Biden last week said Afghans who helped American troops won't be left behind, but US lawmakers are demanding a concrete evacuation plan. Some have even suggested Guam as a possible destination for these Afghans.

The process of evacuation of 70,000+ people will take time, but with only 75 days left to the September 11 deadline, time is a luxury these Afghans don't have.

Senator Angus King warned, "The Taliban has made no secret of the fact that they [Afghans who helped US troops]&nbsp;are in grave danger. They have already started killing them. If we leave without providing for the safety of those people, providing them a way to maintain their lives, it will be a stain on this country that will exist for generations."

Chris Purdy from Veterans for American Ideals at Human Rights first asked&nbsp;Biden, "Why did you wait so long? Why wasn't this part of the plan for the withdrawal? That's just a question that weighs on a lot of us in this community. We’ve been saying this for the last four months."

While Washington continues troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, lawmakers in US have demanded answers from the Biden administration on its evacuation plan concerning 18,000 Afghans and their families who had supported the US-led war on terror.

While Washington continues troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, lawmakers in US have demanded answers from the Biden administration on its evacuation plan concerning 18,000 Afghans and their families who had supported the US-led war on terror. This comes amid reports that Pakistan is supporting the Taliban amass tanks and weapons across the border. Acting Interior Minister of Afghanistan, Gen Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal, has exposed the Pakistani role. Gen Mirzakwal said, "There is also information that the Taliban take some [military] tanks to Pakistan through Zabul province [in southern Afghanistan]. The National Security Council and the Commander in Chief have ordered permanent patrols to target any tank that is tried to be taken to Pakistan.” His comments were echoed by other senior officials of the Afghan security establishment who claim to have seen proof of Pakistani involvement. Head of the independent directorate of local governance Shamim Khan Katawazai claimed, "They [Taliban] have taken military equipment owned by security forces across the Durand line. There are evidence and footage about this. Pakistani soldiers have clicked photos with them.” The alarm raised by Afghan security establishment comes at a time when Afghan forces are engaged in fierce fighting with the Taliban in many parts of the country. The militant group has captured tanks and weapons as it continues to run over districts, bases and government held positions. Meanwhile former US National Security Adviser John Bolton revealed that over the last two decades, Islamabad has provided a safe haven to Taliban fighters. Bolton, who served as the US National Security Adviser under Trump, also slammed Pakistan for helping the Taliban stage attacks on Afghan and US troops. Bolton has warned Islamabad against playing with fire, "Parts of the Pakistani government are directly responsible for the Taliban’s return to power. If the Taliban seizes the power in Afghanistan, it will also be a threat to Pakistan as the extremist pressure on the Pakistani government will increase.” The reports coming out of Afghanistan are alarming. They follow a US intelligence report, which warned that the government in Kabul could fall to the Taliban in six months following the US troop withdrawal. While the Biden administration has committed to a complete US troop withdrawal by September 11 this year, there is no concrete plan yet to evacuate the 18,000 Afghans who have applied for a Special Immigration Visa (SIV). These are drivers, navigators and interpreters who helped American troops in the war on terror. Lawmakers are demanding answers from Biden on how his government plans to evacuate these Afghans and 53,000 family members. Biden last week said Afghans who helped American troops won't be left behind, but US lawmakers are demanding a concrete evacuation plan. Some have even suggested Guam as a possible destination for these Afghans. The process of evacuation of 70,000+ people will take time, but with only 75 days left to the September 11 deadline, time is a luxury these Afghans don't have. Senator Angus King warned, "The Taliban has made no secret of the fact that they [Afghans who helped US troops] are in grave danger. They have already started killing them. If we leave without providing for the safety of those people, providing them a way to maintain their lives, it will be a stain on this country that will exist for generations." Chris Purdy from Veterans for American Ideals at Human Rights first asked Biden, "Why did you wait so long? Why wasn't this part of the plan for the withdrawal? That's just a question that weighs on a lot of us in this community. We’ve been saying this for the last four months."

Pakistan is helping Taliban gather tanks across border, claims Afghan interior minister

In a disturbing revelation, an Australian court on Wednesday was presented with evidence of soldiers drinking from the prosthetic leg of a slain Afghan.

The artificial leg was allegedly taken from an Afghan killed by the military, photos of which were taken at an unauthorised bar at a military base in Afghanistan.

The court also referred to “hundreds” of pictures depicting soldiers drinking from the prosthetic at the bar called “Fat Ladies’ Arms”.

Out of these photographs, many had been amplified and published previously, The Guardian reported. But the full extent of such photographic evidence&nbsp;was revealed to a federal court in Australia on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Many publications are currently preparing to fight a defamation suit by the defendent in the case, Ben Roberts-Smith, who is the recipient of the highly coveted Victoria Cross. These publications include The Canberra Times, The Sydney Morning Herald and Rhe Age.

Matthew Richardson,&nbsp;a lawyer for Roberts-Smith, told the court that they had received&nbsp;new documents showing hundreds of soldiers drinking from the prosthetic leg at the bar, calling the process “onerous”. Richardson also alleged that these photos were leaked to the newspapers by Roberts-Smith’s former wife.&nbsp;

Lawyers representing the newspapers rejected the claim, saying that the USBs containing material including soldiers drinking from&nbsp;prosthetic leg were not sent by Emma Roberts, the former wife of Roberts-Smith.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/afghan-boy-who-lost-a-leg-to-landmine-blast-dances-with-joy-after-getting-a-prosthetic-leg-216755" hreflang="en">Afghan boy, who lost a leg to landmine blast, dances with joy after getting a prosthetic leg</a>

The newspapers allege that in 2009, Roberts-Smith had shot the Afghan to whom the prosthetic leg belonged, which was then “souvenired” from the deceased man and transported to the Australian base.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Roberts-Smith previously told the court that he in fact shot a man with a prosthetic leg, reportedly a Taliban soldier, but claimed that the “souvenir” was carried to the base by another soldier.

The defamation case against Australian newspapers was filed in response to a series of reports published in 2018 wherein he was accused of war crimes, which his lawyers deny as “baseless” and “false”. The trial will begin in Sydney on June 7.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/prosthetic-flipper-helps-thai-turtle-swim-again-274230" hreflang="en">Prosthetic flipper helps Thai turtle swim again</a>

In a disturbing revelation, an Australian court on Wednesday was presented with evidence of soldiers drinking from the prosthetic leg of a slain Afghan. The artificial leg was allegedly taken from an Afghan killed by the military, photos of which were taken at an unauthorised bar at a military base in Afghanistan.

In a disturbing revelation, an Australian court on Wednesday was presented with evidence of soldiers drinking from the prosthetic leg of a slain Afghan. The artificial leg was allegedly taken from an Afghan killed by the military, photos of which were taken at an unauthorised bar at a military base in Afghanistan. The court also referred to “hundreds” of pictures depicting soldiers drinking from the prosthetic at the bar called “Fat Ladies’ Arms”. Out of these photographs, many had been amplified and published previously, The Guardian reported. But the full extent of such photographic evidence was revealed to a federal court in Australia on Wednesday. Many publications are currently preparing to fight a defamation suit by the defendent in the case, Ben Roberts-Smith, who is the recipient of the highly coveted Victoria Cross. These publications include The Canberra Times, The Sydney Morning Herald and Rhe Age. Matthew Richardson, a lawyer for Roberts-Smith, told the court that they had received new documents showing hundreds of soldiers drinking from the prosthetic leg at the bar, calling the process “onerous”. Richardson also alleged that these photos were leaked to the newspapers by Roberts-Smith’s former wife. Lawyers representing the newspapers rejected the claim, saying that the USBs containing material including soldiers drinking from prosthetic leg were not sent by Emma Roberts, the former wife of Roberts-Smith. Also read: Afghan boy, who lost a leg to landmine blast, dances with joy after getting a prosthetic leg The newspapers allege that in 2009, Roberts-Smith had shot the Afghan to whom the prosthetic leg belonged, which was then “souvenired” from the deceased man and transported to the Australian base. Lawyers for Roberts-Smith previously told the court that he in fact shot a man with a prosthetic leg, reportedly a Taliban soldier, but claimed that the “souvenir” was carried to the base by another soldier. The defamation case against Australian newspapers was filed in response to a series of reports published in 2018 wherein he was accused of war crimes, which his lawyers deny as “baseless” and “false”. The trial will begin in Sydney on June 7. Also read: Prosthetic flipper helps Thai turtle swim again

'Hundreds' of pictures show Australian soldiers drinking from slain Afghan's prosthetic leg, court told

The Afghan government is committed to ensuring safety and security of foreign organisations and diplomatic missions, the Foreign Ministry here said on Tuesday following Australia`s announcement to close its embassy in Kabul. 
 
"Based on the international laws and conventions, and within the framework of agreements with friendly countries, the Afghan government remains obligated to ensure the security of diplomatic missions and the safety of diplomatic and consular representatives," the Ministry said in a statement. 
 
The statement came after Australia decided to close its embassy in Kabul amid increasingly uncertain security situation. 
 
"We hope, as mentioned in the Australian government statement, that this measure will be temporary, and Australia will soon resume its permanent presence in Afghanistan," the Ministry added. 
 
Australia`s embassy building will close on Friday, with officials in future visiting Afghanistan from a post elsewhere in the region, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a joint statement. 
 
The government said Australia would revert to diplomats using visiting accreditation for relations with Afghanistan, as was the case before the Kabul embassy opened in 2006, dpa news agency reported. 
 
"It is Australia`s expectation that this measure will be temporary and that we will resume a permanent presence in Kabul once circumstances permit," the statement read. 
 
Canberra cited the "increasingly uncertain security environment" that has come with the imminent departure of international forces and said the government had been advised security arrangements could not be provided to support an ongoing diplomatic presence. 
 
The move "does not alter our commitment to Afghanistan or its people", Payne and Morrison said. 
 
Afghanistan is in a state of uncertainty after US President Joe Biden announced that American troops will pull out from the country by September 11, 2021 after almost 20 years. 
 
NATO agreed to follow suit. 
 
Almost 10,000 NATO soldiers from the Resolute Support training mission, including 2,500 soldiers from the US and around 1,100 from Germany, the two biggest contingents, are due to leave the country. 
 
Australia has 80 troops remaining in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission. 
 
Since the withdrawal officially began on May 1, the Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints.

The Afghan government is committed to ensuring safety and security of foreign organisations and diplomatic missions, the Foreign Ministry here said on Tuesday following Australia`s announcement to close its embassy in Kabul.

The Afghan government is committed to ensuring safety and security of foreign organisations and diplomatic missions, the Foreign Ministry here said on Tuesday following Australia`s announcement to close its embassy in Kabul. "Based on the international laws and conventions, and within the framework of agreements with friendly countries, the Afghan government remains obligated to ensure the security of diplomatic missions and the safety of diplomatic and consular representatives," the Ministry said in a statement. The statement came after Australia decided to close its embassy in Kabul amid increasingly uncertain security situation. "We hope, as mentioned in the Australian government statement, that this measure will be temporary, and Australia will soon resume its permanent presence in Afghanistan," the Ministry added. Australia`s embassy building will close on Friday, with officials in future visiting Afghanistan from a post elsewhere in the region, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a joint statement. The government said Australia would revert to diplomats using visiting accreditation for relations with Afghanistan, as was the case before the Kabul embassy opened in 2006, dpa news agency reported. "It is Australia`s expectation that this measure will be temporary and that we will resume a permanent presence in Kabul once circumstances permit," the statement read. Canberra cited the "increasingly uncertain security environment" that has come with the imminent departure of international forces and said the government had been advised security arrangements could not be provided to support an ongoing diplomatic presence. The move "does not alter our commitment to Afghanistan or its people", Payne and Morrison said. Afghanistan is in a state of uncertainty after US President Joe Biden announced that American troops will pull out from the country by September 11, 2021 after almost 20 years. NATO agreed to follow suit. Almost 10,000 NATO soldiers from the Resolute Support training mission, including 2,500 soldiers from the US and around 1,100 from Germany, the two biggest contingents, are due to leave the country. Australia has 80 troops remaining in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission. Since the withdrawal officially began on May 1, the Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints.

Afghanistan vows to ensure security of foreign missions

US&nbsp;lawmakers grilled President Joe Biden`s Afghanistan peace envoy on Tuesday about how women will be protected if the hard-line Islamist Taliban take control after US&nbsp;troops withdraw, and threatened to withhold funding if rights gains are reversed. 
 
"I don’t believe under any circumstances that the United States Senate will support assistance for Afghanistan, especially under the World Bank’s programme which provides budget support, if the Taliban has taken a governing role that ends civil society advances and rolls back women’s rights," said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez. 
 
Zalmay Khalilzad, special envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation, testified at the committee`s first public hearing on Afghanistan policy since Biden announced plans to withdraw troops by Sept. 11 after two decades of war. 
 
When Biden made his announcement on April 14, he said Washington would continue providing assistance to Afghan security forces and civilian programmes, including those for women and girls. 
 
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration was working with Congress to provide nearly $300 million in civilian aid to the country. 
 
Members of Congress, many of whom are skeptical about the plans to bring home the 2,500 remaining troops, worry the departure would cede control to the Taliban, whose 1996-2001 rule severely curtailed activities for Afghan women. 
 
Lawmakers of both parties expressed concerns about rights, the potential for civil war and whether Afghanistan would again become a refuge for extremists. 
 
"I`m concerned that the administration`s decision may result in a Taliban offensive that topples the government," said Senator Jim Risch, the committee`s top Republican. 
 
The State Department on Tuesday ordered government employees out of its embassy in Kabul if their work could be done elsewhere, citing increasing violence in the Afghan capital. 
 
`Accountability` 
 
The international community has poured billions into Afghanistan since the Taliban was driven from power. Gains for women and girls in access to education and public life are repeatedly touted as a major success. 
 
Women have been underrepresented during peace talks despite promises that they would have a place at the table. 
 
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the only woman on the committee, said Khalilzad, who also served under former Republican President Donald Trump, had not made including women enough of a priority. 
 
She said there was too much uncertainty about the plans for Afghanistan after Sept. 11 to know whether women`s rights would be protected. She said women in Afghanistan remain targets of violence, something that must be stopped. 
 
Shaheen referred to seven women who had been killed by the Taliban for advocating for human rights. 
 
"I will not support any efforts that will allow them to continue to commit these horrific acts without any accountability," Shaheen said. 
 
Khalilzad insisted Washington was pressing for women and minorities to be included in future peace talks. He said Washington and partner countries would punish backtracking in Afghanistan with isolation and sanctions. 
 
Blinken echoed that sentiment. "I can say very clearly and categorically that an Afghanistan that does not respect their rights, that does not sustain the gains we`ve made, will be a pariah," he told CNN. 
 
Under the Taliban, women were barred from education or work, required to fully cover their bodies, and could not leave home without a male relative. "Moral offenses" were punished by flogging and stoning. 
 
The Sept. 11 deadline - 20 years after the attacks that sent Washington to war - extended the US&nbsp;presence there beyond a May 1 deadline negotiated under Trump.

US lawmakers grilled President Joe Biden`s Afghanistan peace envoy on Tuesday about how women will be protected if the hard-line Islamist Taliban take control after US troops withdraw, and threatened to withhold funding if rights gains are reversed.

US lawmakers grilled President Joe Biden`s Afghanistan peace envoy on Tuesday about how women will be protected if the hard-line Islamist Taliban take control after US troops withdraw, and threatened to withhold funding if rights gains are reversed. "I don’t believe under any circumstances that the United States Senate will support assistance for Afghanistan, especially under the World Bank’s programme which provides budget support, if the Taliban has taken a governing role that ends civil society advances and rolls back women’s rights," said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez. Zalmay Khalilzad, special envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation, testified at the committee`s first public hearing on Afghanistan policy since Biden announced plans to withdraw troops by Sept. 11 after two decades of war. When Biden made his announcement on April 14, he said Washington would continue providing assistance to Afghan security forces and civilian programmes, including those for women and girls. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration was working with Congress to provide nearly $300 million in civilian aid to the country. Members of Congress, many of whom are skeptical about the plans to bring home the 2,500 remaining troops, worry the departure would cede control to the Taliban, whose 1996-2001 rule severely curtailed activities for Afghan women. Lawmakers of both parties expressed concerns about rights, the potential for civil war and whether Afghanistan would again become a refuge for extremists. "I`m concerned that the administration`s decision may result in a Taliban offensive that topples the government," said Senator Jim Risch, the committee`s top Republican. The State Department on Tuesday ordered government employees out of its embassy in Kabul if their work could be done elsewhere, citing increasing violence in the Afghan capital. `Accountability` The international community has poured billions into Afghanistan since the Taliban was driven from power. Gains for women and girls in access to education and public life are repeatedly touted as a major success. Women have been underrepresented during peace talks despite promises that they would have a place at the table. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the only woman on the committee, said Khalilzad, who also served under former Republican President Donald Trump, had not made including women enough of a priority. She said there was too much uncertainty about the plans for Afghanistan after Sept. 11 to know whether women`s rights would be protected. She said women in Afghanistan remain targets of violence, something that must be stopped. Shaheen referred to seven women who had been killed by the Taliban for advocating for human rights. "I will not support any efforts that will allow them to continue to commit these horrific acts without any accountability," Shaheen said. Khalilzad insisted Washington was pressing for women and minorities to be included in future peace talks. He said Washington and partner countries would punish backtracking in Afghanistan with isolation and sanctions. Blinken echoed that sentiment. "I can say very clearly and categorically that an Afghanistan that does not respect their rights, that does not sustain the gains we`ve made, will be a pariah," he told CNN. Under the Taliban, women were barred from education or work, required to fully cover their bodies, and could not leave home without a male relative. "Moral offenses" were punished by flogging and stoning. The Sept. 11 deadline - 20 years after the attacks that sent Washington to war - extended the US presence there beyond a May 1 deadline negotiated under Trump.

As US troops leave Afghanistan, lawmakers fear dark future for women

Germany announced on Wednesday that its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan will be completed by July 4.&nbsp; The country’s defence ministry announced plans of withdrawal after the United States claimed that its troops would be out of Afghanistan by September 11.

"The current thinking... is to shorten the withdrawal period. A withdrawal date of July 4 is being considered," a spokesperson from the German defence ministry told AFP. However, the official added that the final decision still rests with NATO.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-troops-in-afghanistan-the-20-year-war-377951/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Last week, NATO had agreed to begin withdrawal of troops by May 1. NATO’s training and support mission boasts 9,600 troops including Americans. It is heavily dependent on the infrastructure of Americans, including military assets.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/us-continues-to-have-dialogue-with-pakistan-on-terrorism-along-afghanistan-border-pentagon-378834" hreflang="en">US continues to have dialogue with Pakistan on terrorism along Afghanistan border: Pentagon &nbsp;</a>

In addition, personnel from 36 NATO countries and partner nations are still in Germany. Germany has the second biggest contingent of soldiers in the Afghanistan after US with 1,1000 troops.

Currently, peace talks between the Taliban and Afghanistan government remain deadlocked. Taliban has called for a complete withdrawal of foreign troops for peace talks to continue taking place.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/afghanistan-ready-for-coalition-forces-pull-out-president-ghani-378527" hreflang="en">Afghanistan ready for coalition forces' pull out: President Ghani</a>

Even though many analysts have blamed countries for abandoning Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently defended the decision, claiming that the threats of terror had significantly moved to other places.

He also stressed on the need to refocus resources towards China and the pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies)

Germany announced on Wednesday that its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan will be completed by July 4. The country’s defence ministry announced plans of withdrawal after the United States claimed that its troops would be out of Afghanistan by September 11.

Germany announced on Wednesday that its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan will be completed by July 4. The country’s defence ministry announced plans of withdrawal after the United States claimed that its troops would be out of Afghanistan by September 11. "The current thinking... is to shorten the withdrawal period. A withdrawal date of July 4 is being considered," a spokesperson from the German defence ministry told AFP. However, the official added that the final decision still rests with NATO. Last week, NATO had agreed to begin withdrawal of troops by May 1. NATO’s training and support mission boasts 9,600 troops including Americans. It is heavily dependent on the infrastructure of Americans, including military assets. Also read: US continues to have dialogue with Pakistan on terrorism along Afghanistan border: Pentagon In addition, personnel from 36 NATO countries and partner nations are still in Germany. Germany has the second biggest contingent of soldiers in the Afghanistan after US with 1,1000 troops. Currently, peace talks between the Taliban and Afghanistan government remain deadlocked. Taliban has called for a complete withdrawal of foreign troops for peace talks to continue taking place. Also read: Afghanistan ready for coalition forces' pull out: President Ghani Even though many analysts have blamed countries for abandoning Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently defended the decision, claiming that the threats of terror had significantly moved to other places. He also stressed on the need to refocus resources towards China and the pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany to pull troops from Afghanistan by July 4

The remaining&nbsp;2,500 US troops in Afghanistan are set to be withdrawn by September 11, 2021 by President Joe Biden. US officials on Tuesday announced the withdrawal is set to take place on the same day on which the US was attacked in 2001&nbsp;by al Qaeda, triggering America’s longest-running war.

Former President Donald Trump had agreed to a May 1 deadline for withdrawal with the Taliban&nbsp;and now many US intelligence officials believe the chances of a peace deal in the country are dim. In addition, the Afghan government could struggle in holding off the insurgency by Taliban if the US withdraws its support.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/antony-blinken-to-return-to-brussels-for-talks-on-ukraine-afghanistan-377207/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier, insurgents in the country had threatened to continue the series of violence in Afghanistan if the May 1 deadline was missed.

The White House official told Reuters that Biden is expected to officially announce the withdrawal on Wednesday. The withdrawal of troops will begin before May 1 and could be finished before the September 11 deadline.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/blinken-to-return-to-brussels-for-talks-on-ukraine-afghanistan-376910" hreflang="en">Blinken to return to Brussels for talks on Ukraine, Afghanistan&nbsp;</a>

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected to discuss Afghanistan with NATO allies in Belgium on Wednesday. Biden’s withdrawal confirms the trope in US administration that the military can no longer ensure peace in Afghanistan.

In the intelligence report&nbsp;which was sent to US Congress, the following is stated - “Kabul continues to face setbacks on the battlefield, and the Taliban is confident it can achieve military victory."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/turkey-talks-on-afghanistan-likely-on-april-16-kabul-does-not-see-any-change-in-taliban-375963" hreflang="en">Turkey talks on Afghanistan likely on April 16, Kabul does not see any change in Taliban</a>

A 10-day summit is currently planned to begin starting April 24 in Istanbul to discuss Afghanistan. The Taliban has refused to participate in the discussion, saying that they would begin talking only once foreign forces had left the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

The remaining 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan are set to be withdrawn by September 11, 2021 by President Joe Biden. US officials on Tuesday announced the withdrawal is set to take place on the same day on which the US was attacked in 2001 by al Qaeda, triggering America’s longest-running war.

The remaining 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan are set to be withdrawn by September 11, 2021 by President Joe Biden. US officials on Tuesday announced the withdrawal is set to take place on the same day on which the US was attacked in 2001 by al Qaeda, triggering America’s longest-running war. Former President Donald Trump had agreed to a May 1 deadline for withdrawal with the Taliban and now many US intelligence officials believe the chances of a peace deal in the country are dim. In addition, the Afghan government could struggle in holding off the insurgency by Taliban if the US withdraws its support. Earlier, insurgents in the country had threatened to continue the series of violence in Afghanistan if the May 1 deadline was missed. The White House official told Reuters that Biden is expected to officially announce the withdrawal on Wednesday. The withdrawal of troops will begin before May 1 and could be finished before the September 11 deadline. Also read: Blinken to return to Brussels for talks on Ukraine, Afghanistan US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected to discuss Afghanistan with NATO allies in Belgium on Wednesday. Biden’s withdrawal confirms the trope in US administration that the military can no longer ensure peace in Afghanistan. In the intelligence report which was sent to US Congress, the following is stated - “Kabul continues to face setbacks on the battlefield, and the Taliban is confident it can achieve military victory." Also read: Turkey talks on Afghanistan likely on April 16, Kabul does not see any change in Taliban A 10-day summit is currently planned to begin starting April 24 in Istanbul to discuss Afghanistan. The Taliban has refused to participate in the discussion, saying that they would begin talking only once foreign forces had left the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden set to complete withdrawal of remaining US troops from Afghanistan before 9/11 anniversary

Militancy and conflicts have increased in the war-torn Afghanistan as more than 30 people were killed over the past 24 hours amid accelerated peace efforts to find a negotiated solution to the country`s lingering crisis. 
 
In the latest wave of violent incidents, a roadside bomb struck a mini-bus in Uruzgan province on Saturday morning, killing three people and wounding four others, all civilians, the provincial government confirmed in a statement. 
 
Similarly, an explosives-laden car was detonated in Herat city on Friday night, which left eight dead including one policema, and injured 54 others. 
 
Three more civilians including women and children were killedas a mortar fired by insurgents struck a residential area in Nurak village outside Zabul provincial capital Qalat on Friday, police said. 
 
Neither the Taliban nor the Islamic State terror group have claimed responsibility. 
 
Increase in fighting is taking place amid accelerated peace efforts to end the war in Afghanistan and bring about peace in the country. 
 
Russia, according to local media reports, is going to hold peace conference on Afghanistan on March 18 with the participation of Afghanistan`s neighbouring states as well as other countries including China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, the US and India. 
 
Turkey is also arranging a US proposed conference on Afghanistan peace process in April to help find a political solution to the war-torn country`s lingering crisis. 
 
"The Taliban group would continue to increase insurgency in a bid to get more ground and speak from strong position in any possible talks with the Afghan government," observer Khan Mohammad Daneshjo told Xinhua.

Militancy and conflicts have increased in the war-torn Afghanistan as more than 30 people were killed over the past 24 hours amid accelerated peace efforts to find a negotiated solution to the country`s lingering crisis.

Militancy and conflicts have increased in the war-torn Afghanistan as more than 30 people were killed over the past 24 hours amid accelerated peace efforts to find a negotiated solution to the country`s lingering crisis. In the latest wave of violent incidents, a roadside bomb struck a mini-bus in Uruzgan province on Saturday morning, killing three people and wounding four others, all civilians, the provincial government confirmed in a statement. Similarly, an explosives-laden car was detonated in Herat city on Friday night, which left eight dead including one policema, and injured 54 others. Three more civilians including women and children were killedas a mortar fired by insurgents struck a residential area in Nurak village outside Zabul provincial capital Qalat on Friday, police said. Neither the Taliban nor the Islamic State terror group have claimed responsibility. Increase in fighting is taking place amid accelerated peace efforts to end the war in Afghanistan and bring about peace in the country. Russia, according to local media reports, is going to hold peace conference on Afghanistan on March 18 with the participation of Afghanistan`s neighbouring states as well as other countries including China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, the US and India. Turkey is also arranging a US proposed conference on Afghanistan peace process in April to help find a political solution to the war-torn country`s lingering crisis. "The Taliban group would continue to increase insurgency in a bid to get more ground and speak from strong position in any possible talks with the Afghan government," observer Khan Mohammad Daneshjo told Xinhua.

Over 30 killed in 24 hours in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Education Ministry recently put out a memo prohibiting girls aged 12 and over from singing at school functions.

Soon after the memo was released, social media caught air of its contents, prompting authorities to refer to the memo as a “mistake”, and suggesting that the authors of the memo had not clearly understood the objective.

Nevertheless, Twitter spares no mistakes. #IAmMySong has been trending on the web portal, with Afghan girls recording clips of themselves singing songs.

Afghanistan is undergoing multiple upheavals right now, with the US planning to withdraw from the country. Critics fear that all progress made in terms of human rights could lapse if the Taliban assumes power.

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2days after Intl Women Day ‘21, the AFG Ministry of Education banned girls 12yo&amp;up from singing in public. This violates national &amp; int’l laws for basic human/universal rights. Join <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAmMySong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAmMySong</a> and record a song in solidarity for AFG females music rights&amp;freedom of expression <a href="https://t.co/kRsW1rknmP">pic.twitter.com/kRsW1rknmP</a>
— Dr Ahmad Sarmast (@DSarmast) <a href="https://twitter.com/DSarmast/status/1369988156846641156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Before Taliban was ousted by the US, they ran the country on mostly anti-women lines. Among its many dictates, education was denied to all girls. And all forms of entertainment - including music and television was banned. Women are only allowed access to religious music.

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We raise our voices in protest against the extremist and discriminatory order of the Ministry of Education!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAmMySong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAmMySong</a> <a href="https://t.co/EnfycjiMtf">pic.twitter.com/EnfycjiMtf</a>
— MyRedLine - خط سرخ من (@myredline_afg) <a href="https://twitter.com/myredline_afg/status/1370462043128672258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Since then, the memo has been rescinded by the ministry. It was sent to all school districts in Kabul. Soon after, a fresh memo was issues, which banned music groups for not only girls of secondary schools, but also for boys.

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On Wednesday Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education reportedly banned girls 12yo&amp;up from singing in public. 
 
People are now recording songs in solidarity with Afghan women’s right to expression <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAmMySong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAmMySong</a> 
 
<a href="https://t.co/ThR7jUogWv">pic.twitter.com/ThR7jUogWv</a>
— Megha Mohan (@meghamohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/meghamohan/status/1370079768318775298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Associated Press reported that the government claims objective of&nbsp;the move is not to ban music, but to prevent coronavirus from spreading.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAmMySong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAmMySong</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MyRedLine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MyRedLine</a> <a href="https://t.co/86XL4F3qtu">pic.twitter.com/86XL4F3qtu</a>
— MyRedLine - خط سرخ من (@myredline_afg) <a href="https://twitter.com/myredline_afg/status/1370336074145366025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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But many believe this is an act of damage control, prompting the hashtag, which had received over 600,000 clicks so far. The hashtag was reportedly started by Ahmad Sarmast, the founder of Afghanistan’s Institute of Music.

Afghanistan’s Education Ministry recently put out a memo prohibiting girls aged 12 and over from singing at school functions. Soon after the memo was released, social media caught air of its contents, prompting authorities to refer to the memo as a “mistake”, and suggesting that the authors of the memo had not clearly understood the objective.

Afghanistan’s Education Ministry recently put out a memo prohibiting girls aged 12 and over from singing at school functions. Soon after the memo was released, social media caught air of its contents, prompting authorities to refer to the memo as a “mistake”, and suggesting that the authors of the memo had not clearly understood the objective. Nevertheless, Twitter spares no mistakes. #IAmMySong has been trending on the web portal, with Afghan girls recording clips of themselves singing songs. Afghanistan is undergoing multiple upheavals right now, with the US planning to withdraw from the country. Critics fear that all progress made in terms of human rights could lapse if the Taliban assumes power. 2days after Intl Women Day ‘21, the AFG Ministry of Education banned girls 12yo&up from singing in public. This violates national & int’l laws for basic human/universal rights. Join #IAmMySong and record a song in solidarity for AFG females music rights&freedom of expression pic.twitter.com/kRsW1rknmP — Dr Ahmad Sarmast (@DSarmast) March 11, 2021 × Before Taliban was ousted by the US, they ran the country on mostly anti-women lines. Among its many dictates, education was denied to all girls. And all forms of entertainment - including music and television was banned. Women are only allowed access to religious music. We raise our voices in protest against the extremist and discriminatory order of the Ministry of Education!#IAmMySong pic.twitter.com/EnfycjiMtf — MyRedLine - خط سرخ من (@myredline_afg) March 12, 2021 × Since then, the memo has been rescinded by the ministry. It was sent to all school districts in Kabul. Soon after, a fresh memo was issues, which banned music groups for not only girls of secondary schools, but also for boys. On Wednesday Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education reportedly banned girls 12yo&up from singing in public. People are now recording songs in solidarity with Afghan women’s right to expression #IAmMySong pic.twitter.com/ThR7jUogWv — Megha Mohan (@meghamohan) March 11, 2021 × Associated Press reported that the government claims objective of the move is not to ban music, but to prevent coronavirus from spreading. #IAmMySong#MyRedLine pic.twitter.com/86XL4F3qtu — MyRedLine - خط سرخ من (@myredline_afg) March 12, 2021 × But many believe this is an act of damage control, prompting the hashtag, which had received over 600,000 clicks so far. The hashtag was reportedly started by Ahmad Sarmast, the founder of Afghanistan’s Institute of Music.

Afghanistan releases, then redacts memo banning girls from singing. #IAmMySong roars on Twitter

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently called for urgent action in Afghanistan to prevent a "spring offensive by the Taliban". Blinken also claimed that the Taliban could make increased "territorial gains" in the country.

On Sunday, the US government said that it is considering all available options on what could be done about 2,500 troops stationed in Afghanistan, adding that the government has made no decisions on the planned exit of US military from Afghanistan by May 1. 
 
TOLOnews published a letter by Blinken to Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, which claimed that the US is "considering the full withdrawal of forces by May 1st as we consider other options".

The letter further said that the United States is currently in pursuit of a high-level diplomatic effort "to move matters more fundamentally and quickly toward a settlement and a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/washington-keen-on-6-country-meet-including-india-on-afghanistan-368737" hreflang="en">Washington keen on 6-country meet including India on Afghanistan</a> 
 
In addition, the letter said that the US is urging the United Nations to call on foreign ministers from Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and the United States in a bid "to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan." 
 
In the event of US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Blinken worries that the security situation in the country could worsen by Taliban potentially making "rapid territorial gains".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/us-afghanistan-envoy-proposes-shake-up-of-afghan-peace-process-report-368601" hreflang="en">US Afghanistan envoy proposes shake-up of Afghan peace process: Report</a> 
 
He also urged Ghani to "understand the urgency of [his] tone". On Saturday, Ghani said that his government was open to holding new elections while highlighting the importance of a new government emerging through the democratic process.

Since US-backed negotiations with the Taliban began last September, violence has increased in the country. According to local officials, the insurgents who were earlier in control of just rural areas are now advancing towards towns and cities.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently called for urgent action in Afghanistan to prevent a "spring offensive by the Taliban". Blinken also claimed that the Taliban could make increased "territorial gains" in the country.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently called for urgent action in Afghanistan to prevent a "spring offensive by the Taliban". Blinken also claimed that the Taliban could make increased "territorial gains" in the country. On Sunday, the US government said that it is considering all available options on what could be done about 2,500 troops stationed in Afghanistan, adding that the government has made no decisions on the planned exit of US military from Afghanistan by May 1. TOLOnews published a letter by Blinken to Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, which claimed that the US is "considering the full withdrawal of forces by May 1st as we consider other options". The letter further said that the United States is currently in pursuit of a high-level diplomatic effort "to move matters more fundamentally and quickly toward a settlement and a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire." Also read: Washington keen on 6-country meet including India on Afghanistan In addition, the letter said that the US is urging the United Nations to call on foreign ministers from Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and the United States in a bid "to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan." In the event of US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Blinken worries that the security situation in the country could worsen by Taliban potentially making "rapid territorial gains". Also read: US Afghanistan envoy proposes shake-up of Afghan peace process: Report He also urged Ghani to "understand the urgency of [his] tone". On Saturday, Ghani said that his government was open to holding new elections while highlighting the importance of a new government emerging through the democratic process. Since US-backed negotiations with the Taliban began last September, violence has increased in the country. According to local officials, the insurgents who were earlier in control of just rural areas are now advancing towards towns and cities.

Blinken urges immediate action in Afghanistan, says Taliban could make territorial gains

Washington is keen on a six-country meet including India for a meet on Afghanistan as it reviews its strategy for the country. In a letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken&nbsp;has outlined several ways "to move matter more fundamentally and quickly towards a settlement".&nbsp;

The letter, which surfaced in Afghan media on Sunday said, "We intend to as the United Nations to convene foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, and US to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan".&nbsp;

In the letter, Blinken explained, "it is my belief that these countries share an abiding common interest in a stable Afghanistan and must work together if we are to succeed".

Sunday also saw, US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad speaking to India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. A tweet from Jaishankar's account said, "discussed latest developments pertaining to peace talks".

India has been seen as a close partner of the Afghan government and has built a number of mega infrastructure projects in the country, from the Afghan Parliament to the India Afghan friendship dam in western Herat province. Last month saw Indian PM Modi and Afghan President Ghani holding a virtual summit and also announcing the start of Shahtoot dam project, which will be built by India and provide clean drinking water to residents of Kabul.

The letter by Blinken also includes a written proposal that will be shared by Khalilzad with President Ghani and Taliban leaders and is "aimed at accelerating discussions on a negotiated settlement and ceasefire", Turkish government hosting a meet between the two&nbsp;sides, reduction in violence proposal to "prevent a spring offensive by the Taliban" and eventual full withdrawal of American forces by May 1.

It has been 20 years since the fall of the Taliban and US presence in Afghanistan with Washington keen to leave the country. Last year saw&nbsp;US-Taliban pact, followed by the start of talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. While these two&nbsp;developments have been seen as positive, the violence level continues to increase in the country.

Washington is keen on a six-country meet including India for a meet on Afghanistan as it reviews its strategy for the country. In a letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has outlined several ways "to move matter more fundamentally and quickly towards a settlement".

Washington is keen on a six-country meet including India for a meet on Afghanistan as it reviews its strategy for the country. In a letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has outlined several ways "to move matter more fundamentally and quickly towards a settlement". The letter, which surfaced in Afghan media on Sunday said, "We intend to as the United Nations to convene foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, and US to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan". In the letter, Blinken explained, "it is my belief that these countries share an abiding common interest in a stable Afghanistan and must work together if we are to succeed". Sunday also saw, US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad speaking to India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. A tweet from Jaishankar's account said, "discussed latest developments pertaining to peace talks". India has been seen as a close partner of the Afghan government and has built a number of mega infrastructure projects in the country, from the Afghan Parliament to the India Afghan friendship dam in western Herat province. Last month saw Indian PM Modi and Afghan President Ghani holding a virtual summit and also announcing the start of Shahtoot dam project, which will be built by India and provide clean drinking water to residents of Kabul. The letter by Blinken also includes a written proposal that will be shared by Khalilzad with President Ghani and Taliban leaders and is "aimed at accelerating discussions on a negotiated settlement and ceasefire", Turkish government hosting a meet between the two sides, reduction in violence proposal to "prevent a spring offensive by the Taliban" and eventual full withdrawal of American forces by May 1. It has been 20 years since the fall of the Taliban and US presence in Afghanistan with Washington keen to leave the country. Last year saw US-Taliban pact, followed by the start of talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. While these two developments have been seen as positive, the violence level continues to increase in the country.

Washington keen on 6-country meet including India on Afghanistan