The Taliban claim to have complete control over Afghanistan. However, recent evidence points to the contrary.&nbsp;

Despite the Taliban government's best efforts, even after three months of the group's takeover of the country, the National Resistance Front (NRF) remains a thorn in its side.

Back in September, the Afghan National Resistance Front (NRF), a group of Panjshiri fighters and remnants of the defeated Afghan army, made their last stand against the heavily armed and well-funded Taliban.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/talibans-show-of-strength-military-parade-with-us-made-weapons-429432" hreflang="en">Taliban's show of strength:&nbsp;Military parade with US-made weapons</a>

Prior to that, the NRF was the only force capable of mounting serious armed opposition to the Taliban's relentless sweep through Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Even with the apparent calm of the last two months, the resistance has continued to be a problem for the Taliban.&nbsp;

Although the group claims they are not pursuing revenge, recently, a number of videos have emerged from social media channels, on Telegram channels appearing to show a Taliban crackdown on what is left-over of the Panjshir resistance.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-afghan-girl-alleges-beating-by-taliban-commander-for-refusing-sex-taliban-post-video-to-refute-claim-429216" hreflang="en">Watch: Afghan girl alleges beating by Taliban commander for refusing sex, Taliban post video to refute claim</a>

In a video that has been circulating on social media recently, a Taliban fighter can allegedly be seen standing in front of three bodies claiming they were NRF fighters.&nbsp;

Responding to the rumours, the resistance group has denied the Taliban's claims, saying that the bodies of men pictured in these videos in fact belong to relatives of the fighters.&nbsp;

In another version of the story, a spokesman for the province of Khost has stated that the bodies were in fact of robbers.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/one-million-afghan-children-at-risk-of-dying-due-to-acute-malnutrition-who-428916" hreflang="en">One million Afghan children at risk of dying due to acute malnutrition: WHO</a>

An Afghan commander is said to have been tasked with dealing with the remnants of the resistance.&nbsp;

Hamid Khorasan, the Taliban commander in Afghanistan, is allegedly leading the crackdown. In another video gaining traction on social media, he can be seen giving orders to a row of Taliban gunmen.

Watch |&nbsp;Afghanistan: NRF still remains a thorn at Taliban's side

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-nrf-still-remains-a-thorn-at-talibans-side-429418/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, it is unclear when and at what point these videos were shot during the Taliban's crackdown.

Nonetheless, reports indicate that there is still a significant concentration of NRF fighters in northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province as well as in northeastern Afghanistan's Kapisa province.

While the Taliban continue to downplay the internal threats it faces in the country, even a few hundred members of the resistance can rally the people against the group. This is at a time when the Taliban government is seeking international legitimacy.

The Taliban claim to have complete control over Afghanistan. However, recent evidence points to the contrary. Despite the Taliban government's best efforts, even after three months of the group's takeover of the country, the National Resistance Front (NRF) remains a thorn in its side.

The Taliban claim to have complete control over Afghanistan. However, recent evidence points to the contrary. Despite the Taliban government's best efforts, even after three months of the group's takeover of the country, the National Resistance Front (NRF) remains a thorn in its side. Back in September, the Afghan National Resistance Front (NRF), a group of Panjshiri fighters and remnants of the defeated Afghan army, made their last stand against the heavily armed and well-funded Taliban. Also read | Taliban's show of strength: Military parade with US-made weapons Prior to that, the NRF was the only force capable of mounting serious armed opposition to the Taliban's relentless sweep through Afghanistan. Even with the apparent calm of the last two months, the resistance has continued to be a problem for the Taliban. Although the group claims they are not pursuing revenge, recently, a number of videos have emerged from social media channels, on Telegram channels appearing to show a Taliban crackdown on what is left-over of the Panjshir resistance. Also read | Watch: Afghan girl alleges beating by Taliban commander for refusing sex, Taliban post video to refute claim In a video that has been circulating on social media recently, a Taliban fighter can allegedly be seen standing in front of three bodies claiming they were NRF fighters. Responding to the rumours, the resistance group has denied the Taliban's claims, saying that the bodies of men pictured in these videos in fact belong to relatives of the fighters. In another version of the story, a spokesman for the province of Khost has stated that the bodies were in fact of robbers. Also read | One million Afghan children at risk of dying due to acute malnutrition: WHO An Afghan commander is said to have been tasked with dealing with the remnants of the resistance. Hamid Khorasan, the Taliban commander in Afghanistan, is allegedly leading the crackdown. In another video gaining traction on social media, he can be seen giving orders to a row of Taliban gunmen. Watch | Afghanistan: NRF still remains a thorn at Taliban's side However, it is unclear when and at what point these videos were shot during the Taliban's crackdown. Nonetheless, reports indicate that there is still a significant concentration of NRF fighters in northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province as well as in northeastern Afghanistan's Kapisa province. While the Taliban continue to downplay the internal threats it faces in the country, even a few hundred members of the resistance can rally the people against the group. This is at a time when the Taliban government is seeking international legitimacy.

Afghanistan | 3 months since takeover, is NRF still a thorn in the Taliban's side?

As Kabul was falling to the Taliban in August, the young Afghan air force pilot flew his PC-12 turboprop from Afghanistan to neighbouring Tajikistan to escape. Like other Afghan officers who fled in dozens of military aircraft to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the pilot had faith that his American military partners would rescue him.

“We believed in the US military and government — that they would help us and get us out of this situation,” said the pilot, a lieutenant, who, like other pilots in this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

The lieutenant is among 143 Afghan pilots and crew members now detained by Tajik authorities. They are English speakers trained by the US Air Force, and they are counting on the US government or military to evacuate them and also to help evacuate their families back home in Afghanistan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-crisis-amid-internal-conflict-and-terrorism-locals-struggle-to-get-drinking-water-427287" hreflang="en">Afghan crisis: Amid internal conflict and terrorism, locals struggle to get drinking water</a>

Several thousand other Afghan air force pilots and crew members are in hiding in Afghanistan, feeling abandoned by the US military, their longtime combat ally. They say they and their families are at risk of being hunted down and killed by the Taliban.

“I stood shoulder to shoulder with my American allies for five years — but now they have forgotten us,” an Afghan air force captain who piloted C-208 airplanes said by phone from a safe house in Kabul.

Several other pilots who spoke by phone from Afghanistan said they had heard nothing from the US government. But they said they were being assisted by their former military advisers, many of them volunteers in a group called Operation Sacred Promise, formed to help get Afghan air force personnel to safety.

Brig. Gen. David Hicks, a retired Air Force officer who is CEO of Operation Sacred Promise, said the group, formed in August, had received desperate messages from stranded pilots asking whether the US government had a plan to get them to safety.

“We found out that there was no plan by the US to do anything to get these folks out,” said Hicks, who once commanded the US-led air force training mission in Afghanistan.

He said: “The US has spent millions and millions on these highly educated and highly motivated individuals. Based on what they did fighting the Taliban, we think they deserve priority.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-baby-handed-to-us-soldiers-amid-chaos-at-kabul-airport-still-missing-427117" hreflang="en">Afghan baby handed to US soldiers amid chaos at Kabul airport still missing</a>

A State Department spokesperson offered no timeline on relocating Afghan pilots but said Sunday, “We are in regular communication with the government of Tajikistan, and part of those communications includes coordination in response to Afghan air force pilots.”

The spokesperson said, “The United States verified the identities of approximately 150 Afghans after gaining access to the last group in mid-October.”

The United States spent $89 billion training and equipping Afghan defense and security forces, including the Afghan air force and its elite Special Mission Wing. Many of the pilots were trained in the United States.

Some pilots and crew members and their families were evacuated with the help of the US government and military just after the Taliban takeover. But many more were unable to get out, despite attempts by their former advisers to help them.

Since mid-August, Hicks said, Operation Sacred Promise has helped evacuate about 350 Afghans. The group has vetted about 2,000 Afghan air force personnel and their relatives trying to leave the country, with about 8,000 more still to be vetted, he said.

In September, a group of Afghan pilots and crew members was evacuated from Uzbekistan with the help of the US government and Operation Sacred Promise after being detained by Uzbek authorities.

But another group of 143 Afghan air force personnel remains in detention at a sanitarium near the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. They said they were growing increasingly desperate, even though US Embassy officials in Dushanbe had recently arrived to record their biometric data as part of an effort to evacuate them.

“The morale among our colleagues here is very low,” said an Afghan air force major who flew a C-208 military plane to Tajikistan. “We are in an unknown situation, and we don’t know what will happen next to us.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-exclusive-life-under-taliban-they-call-women-sts-419130" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-exclusive-life-under-taliban-they-call-women-sts-419130&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjwq-mH1oj0AhWRzTgGHe85CkEQFnoECAUQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw2l6nZWyfFJjXRmuas22wzA" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-exclusive-life-under-taliban-they-call-women-sts-419130" target="_blank">WION exclusive: Life Under&nbsp;Taliban- 'They call women s**ts'</a>

The major and several other pilots spoke on WhatsApp audio messages recorded on smuggled cellphones hidden from guards. They said they were not allowed to leave the facility, where most cellphones had been confiscated. They survive on meager food rations and receive only basic medical care, they said.

Many have not been in touch with their families in Afghanistan, some of whom do not know whether they are still alive, they said.

“We feel abandoned, but we still have hope the US will help us,” said a major who said he had piloted numerous combat missions.

The Tajikistan Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to email messages requesting comments.

Among those held in Tajikistan is an Afghan pilot who is pregnant and said she needed prenatal care. Her husband, also a pilot, was being held with her.

“We are living like prisoners,” she said in an audio message recorded late last month. “We are fed up. We are getting weak. I’d like to request that the US government expedite our situation here.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-mediating-talks-between-pakistans-tehreek-e-taliban-islamabad-report-427608" hreflang="en">Taliban mediating talks between Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Taliban, Islamabad: Report</a>

During Afghanistan’s collapse, about 25% of the Afghan air force’s aircraft were flown to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, according to an Oct. 31 report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. Hicks put the number at 56 to 60 aircraft. (American forces rendered unusable 80 others at the Kabul airport in late August.)

The status of the planes is uncertain. When asked in mid-August what was being done to recover the aircraft, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin replied, “We’re focused on the airfield and getting people out safely.”

Speaking from Afghanistan, several Afghan air force pilots described moving from house to house to avoid capture by the Taliban. They said they were running out of money and did not dare look for work because they feared being discovered by Taliban officials.

An Afghan air force major who flew C-208 planes for eight years said the Taliban had confronted his relatives, demanding to know his whereabouts. Taliban fighters searched his home and interrogated his mother, said the major, who had moved with his wife and four children to a series of safe houses.

“It’s very dangerous for us here,” the major said.

Watch |&nbsp;No hope for women athletes in Afghanistan?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/no-hope-for-women-athletes-in-afghanistan-427654/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He said he had been unable to reach anyone in the US government or military, other than his former US Air Force adviser. “It seems we aren’t so important to them anymore,” he said.

The Taliban have said there is a general amnesty for any Afghan who served in the former government or worked with the US government or military. But several Afghan air force pilots have been killed by the Taliban this year.

“They have no good options,” Hicks said. “They’re at risk of being hunted down and killed.”

A major who piloted C-208 planes and was trained at a US Air Force base in Texas said he turned down a chance to fly to Tajikistan in August because he did not want to leave his family behind. Now he and his wife and their seven children are in hiding, low on money and food.

“Our life gets worse day by day,” the major said. “We can’t stay in one place. We are always hiding — even our relatives don’t know where we are.”

Hicks said he feared the pilots and crew members in Afghanistan would soon run out of money and food, and possibly lose what freedom they have left.

“There’s no place for them to hide inside Afghanistan,” he said. “We have to realize that it’s about to be a very dark winter for these people.”

As Kabul was falling to the Taliban in August, the young Afghan air force pilot flew his PC-12 turboprop from Afghanistan to neighbouring Tajikistan to escape. Like other Afghan officers who fled in dozens of military aircraft to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the pilot had faith that his American military partners would rescue him.

As Kabul was falling to the Taliban in August, the young Afghan air force pilot flew his PC-12 turboprop from Afghanistan to neighbouring Tajikistan to escape. Like other Afghan officers who fled in dozens of military aircraft to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the pilot had faith that his American military partners would rescue him. “We believed in the US military and government — that they would help us and get us out of this situation,” said the pilot, a lieutenant, who, like other pilots in this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of security concerns. The lieutenant is among 143 Afghan pilots and crew members now detained by Tajik authorities. They are English speakers trained by the US Air Force, and they are counting on the US government or military to evacuate them and also to help evacuate their families back home in Afghanistan. Also read | Afghan crisis: Amid internal conflict and terrorism, locals struggle to get drinking water Several thousand other Afghan air force pilots and crew members are in hiding in Afghanistan, feeling abandoned by the US military, their longtime combat ally. They say they and their families are at risk of being hunted down and killed by the Taliban. “I stood shoulder to shoulder with my American allies for five years — but now they have forgotten us,” an Afghan air force captain who piloted C-208 airplanes said by phone from a safe house in Kabul. Several other pilots who spoke by phone from Afghanistan said they had heard nothing from the US government. But they said they were being assisted by their former military advisers, many of them volunteers in a group called Operation Sacred Promise, formed to help get Afghan air force personnel to safety. Brig. Gen. David Hicks, a retired Air Force officer who is CEO of Operation Sacred Promise, said the group, formed in August, had received desperate messages from stranded pilots asking whether the US government had a plan to get them to safety. “We found out that there was no plan by the US to do anything to get these folks out,” said Hicks, who once commanded the US-led air force training mission in Afghanistan. He said: “The US has spent millions and millions on these highly educated and highly motivated individuals. Based on what they did fighting the Taliban, we think they deserve priority.” Also read | Afghan baby handed to US soldiers amid chaos at Kabul airport still missing A State Department spokesperson offered no timeline on relocating Afghan pilots but said Sunday, “We are in regular communication with the government of Tajikistan, and part of those communications includes coordination in response to Afghan air force pilots.” The spokesperson said, “The United States verified the identities of approximately 150 Afghans after gaining access to the last group in mid-October.” The United States spent $89 billion training and equipping Afghan defense and security forces, including the Afghan air force and its elite Special Mission Wing. Many of the pilots were trained in the United States. Some pilots and crew members and their families were evacuated with the help of the US government and military just after the Taliban takeover. But many more were unable to get out, despite attempts by their former advisers to help them. Since mid-August, Hicks said, Operation Sacred Promise has helped evacuate about 350 Afghans. The group has vetted about 2,000 Afghan air force personnel and their relatives trying to leave the country, with about 8,000 more still to be vetted, he said. In September, a group of Afghan pilots and crew members was evacuated from Uzbekistan with the help of the US government and Operation Sacred Promise after being detained by Uzbek authorities. But another group of 143 Afghan air force personnel remains in detention at a sanitarium near the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. They said they were growing increasingly desperate, even though US Embassy officials in Dushanbe had recently arrived to record their biometric data as part of an effort to evacuate them. “The morale among our colleagues here is very low,” said an Afghan air force major who flew a C-208 military plane to Tajikistan. “We are in an unknown situation, and we don’t know what will happen next to us.” Also read | WION exclusive: Life Under Taliban- 'They call women s**ts' The major and several other pilots spoke on WhatsApp audio messages recorded on smuggled cellphones hidden from guards. They said they were not allowed to leave the facility, where most cellphones had been confiscated. They survive on meager food rations and receive only basic medical care, they said. Many have not been in touch with their families in Afghanistan, some of whom do not know whether they are still alive, they said. “We feel abandoned, but we still have hope the US will help us,” said a major who said he had piloted numerous combat missions. The Tajikistan Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to email messages requesting comments. Among those held in Tajikistan is an Afghan pilot who is pregnant and said she needed prenatal care. Her husband, also a pilot, was being held with her. “We are living like prisoners,” she said in an audio message recorded late last month. “We are fed up. We are getting weak. I’d like to request that the US government expedite our situation here.” Also read | Taliban mediating talks between Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Taliban, Islamabad: Report During Afghanistan’s collapse, about 25% of the Afghan air force’s aircraft were flown to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, according to an Oct. 31 report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. Hicks put the number at 56 to 60 aircraft. (American forces rendered unusable 80 others at the Kabul airport in late August.) The status of the planes is uncertain. When asked in mid-August what was being done to recover the aircraft, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin replied, “We’re focused on the airfield and getting people out safely.” Speaking from Afghanistan, several Afghan air force pilots described moving from house to house to avoid capture by the Taliban. They said they were running out of money and did not dare look for work because they feared being discovered by Taliban officials. An Afghan air force major who flew C-208 planes for eight years said the Taliban had confronted his relatives, demanding to know his whereabouts. Taliban fighters searched his home and interrogated his mother, said the major, who had moved with his wife and four children to a series of safe houses. “It’s very dangerous for us here,” the major said. Watch | No hope for women athletes in Afghanistan? He said he had been unable to reach anyone in the US government or military, other than his former US Air Force adviser. “It seems we aren’t so important to them anymore,” he said. The Taliban have said there is a general amnesty for any Afghan who served in the former government or worked with the US government or military. But several Afghan air force pilots have been killed by the Taliban this year. “They have no good options,” Hicks said. “They’re at risk of being hunted down and killed.” A major who piloted C-208 planes and was trained at a US Air Force base in Texas said he turned down a chance to fly to Tajikistan in August because he did not want to leave his family behind. Now he and his wife and their seven children are in hiding, low on money and food. “Our life gets worse day by day,” the major said. “We can’t stay in one place. We are always hiding — even our relatives don’t know where we are.” Hicks said he feared the pilots and crew members in Afghanistan would soon run out of money and food, and possibly lose what freedom they have left. “There’s no place for them to hide inside Afghanistan,” he said. “We have to realize that it’s about to be a very dark winter for these people.”

Afghan military pilots, on the run, feel abandoned by US

The Afghan economy is on the verge of a collapse with famine and other crises looming and in their diplomatic push to gain international support as well as assistance to avoid a humanitarian disaster, the Taliban will hold face-to-face talks with US and European envoys.

Taliban delegation to meet EU representatives in Doha

Why are the Taliban stripping away so many of Afghan women’s hard-won freedoms?

That may seem like a facetious question. When the Taliban ruled the country in the 1990s, after all, their regime was known for having some of the world’s harshest restrictions on women. The group still adheres to a fundamentalist vision of Islamic society.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/times-have-changed-pictures-of-afghan-women-before-taliban-rule-go-viral-406508">'Times have changed': Pictures of Afghan women before Taliban rule go viral</a>

But ideology is only part of the story.

Every group has a range of beliefs, and not all of them become priorities for governance. Some Taliban officials, particularly those who conducted peace negotiations and favoured international engagement, have suggested that this iteration of Taliban governance might be less restrictive toward women. And there are certainly economic incentives, as the resumption of international aid would be based at least in part on human rights considerations.

None of that has seemed to make a difference thus far. Although some Taliban officials continue to say that conditions will improve, women are still being kept from workplaces and schools. Each week seems to bring a new report of restrictions.

In that light, the Taliban’s decision to restrict women’s freedom begins to look like a political choice as much as it is a matter of ideology. Understanding why the Taliban might see that choice as rewarding, experts say, offers insight into the group’s state-building efforts, and to the nature of the society, they now rule again.

The Insecurity of Taliban Security

“I did not for a minute believe that the Taliban had changed,” said Muqaddesa Yourish, a former deputy minister of commerce who fled to the United States with her family when the Taliban took power. “If anything has changed about them, it is that they know how to deal with the West.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/women-teachers-face-uncertain-future-after-taliban-bans-them-from-schools-417874">Women teachers face uncertain future after Taliban bans them from schools</a>

Less than two months after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, their promised allowances for women in the workplace and schools have yet to appear. Most women are still banned from going to work, a supposedly temporary measure the Taliban claim is necessary for security.

The leadership is using the same wording in describing when women might be allowed to attend public universities. And when secondary schools reopened, the Taliban directed boys to return to the classroom but said nothing about girls, which families across the country understood as a directive that girls should stay home.

Groups like the Taliban often struggle to make the transition from violent insurgency to actual governance, said Dipali Mukhopadhyay, a researcher at the University of Minnesota who studies rebel governance in Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere.

They do not have the experience, funding or personnel to deliver sophisticated government services. Instead, their main strength is controlling security — using their status as the country’s most powerful violent group to operate a kind of country-level protection racket, exchanging public safety for obedience.

“We shouldn’t buy this narrative that they are an alternative to the previous government because they are providing security,” said Metra Mehran, co-founder of the Feminine Perspectives Campaign, which sought to bring women’s voices into peace negotiations. “They’re not providing security; they’ve just stopped killing us.”

Mukhopadhyay echoed that sentiment. “That’s the cornerstone of understanding what the Taliban is offering: security and also the threat of force,” she said. “But people, particularly women, know that form of security comes with an ideology attached to it.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/as-need-in-afghanistan-grows-dire-aid-groups-plead-for-help-417450">As need in Afghanistan grows dire, aid groups plead for help</a>

Viewed through that lens, restricting women’s freedom serves as a powerful demonstration of the Taliban’s power. When women and girls vanish from offices and schools, it shows that the Taliban have enough power — and implicitly, enough capacity and willingness to use violence — to dramatically reengineer public spaces.

Mukhopadhyay noted that the Taliban had not only dismantled the Ministry for Women’s Affairs, but had also replaced it with the Ministry for Vice and Virtue, the feared religious police known for their public beatings of women who went out without a male relative or were dressed in something other than a burqa.

“That’s a very potent symbol of who’s winning within the Taliban right now,” she said.

‘The Talib in Every Man’

But marketing is only part of the story. Despite support and funding for gender-equality efforts during 20 years of US-backed governments, Afghan women’s freedoms have always been fragile.

Yourish said she has always sensed that many Afghan men were uncomfortable with women in public life. Although her own father and husband were supportive of her career, she said, they often seemed like outliers.

In the final days before the Taliban took power, Yourish said, she and her friends traded stories of how “the Talib in every man is coming out,” she said. Male strangers approached her and other women on the street, shouting cryptic threats like “your days will be over soon,” she said. She could sense women’s progress crumbling, she said, even before the previous government fell.

Also read |&nbsp;​​​​​​​<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-taliban-fire-shots-at-kabul-women-protesting-for-right-to-study-417115">Watch: Taliban fire shots at Kabul women protesting for right to study</a>

On paper and in the tables of foreign aid budgets, gender equality was a priority for two decades. And there were substantial improvements for many women, especially those who were educated and lived in more urban areas.

But Afghanistan remains a deeply patriarchal society. The Taliban’s promise to return to “traditional” values, in which women are subordinate to their male relatives, is an attractive offer to many Afghan men.

Alice Evans, a researcher at King’s College London who studies women’s economic and social progress, said women’s rights were caught in a “patrilineal trap.”

Societies where family wealth passes through the male line traditionally place a high value on brides’ chastity, Evans said. “Girls are then closely policed to improve their marriage prospects and family honor,” she said, and norms develop that keep women out of public life.

The dynamic is self-reinforcing: Families do not want to risk deviating from social norms on their own, so everyone ends up stuck in a system in which women have to stay close to home.

To get out of that trap, women’s wages have to become high enough that the benefits of working outweigh the risks to family honour, Evans said. In East Asia, for instance, rapid industrialization raised women’s potential earnings, effectively buying them out of the honour-based rules that constrained them to the home.

That did not happen in Afghanistan, where economic productivity and employment languished despite the influx of aid. Women’s wages did not rise enough, in enough places, to outweigh their families’ honor-based concerns, or to transform social norms.

Also read |&nbsp;​​​​​​​<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-exclusive-life-under-taliban-women-run-studio-forced-to-shut-down-in-kabul-417039">WION exclusive- Life under Taliban: Women-run studio forced to shut down in Kabul</a>

That may strengthen the Taliban. Rebel groups that are seen as grounded in local communities and values tend to be more successful, Mukhopadhyay said. For conservative Afghans, particularly men, restricting women’s freedom may be a way for the Taliban to claim they support local values.

But it could still backfire, Mukhopadhyay said, if restrictions are so extreme that Afghans see them as overreach by leaders who do not understand how the country has changed. For decades, “the Talibs were living across the border in Pakistan,” she said. “Their perceptions of Islam, and modernity, are not the same as those of people in Afghanistan.”

Women’s employment did become widespread enough that many families relied, at least partly, on their income, said Manizha Wafeq, co-founder and president of the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Their earnings have vanished in recent weeks as a result of Taliban restrictions, and that could cut into the public’s acceptance of their rule.

“It’s already an economic crisis for the whole country,” Wafeq said. “People are already trying to figure out how to feed their families.”

Why are the Taliban stripping away so many of Afghan women’s hard-won freedoms? That may seem like a facetious question. When the Taliban ruled the country in the 1990s, after all, their regime was known for having some of the world’s harshest restrictions on women.

Why are the Taliban stripping away so many of Afghan women’s hard-won freedoms? That may seem like a facetious question. When the Taliban ruled the country in the 1990s, after all, their regime was known for having some of the world’s harshest restrictions on women. The group still adheres to a fundamentalist vision of Islamic society. Also read | 'Times have changed': Pictures of Afghan women before Taliban rule go viral But ideology is only part of the story. Every group has a range of beliefs, and not all of them become priorities for governance. Some Taliban officials, particularly those who conducted peace negotiations and favoured international engagement, have suggested that this iteration of Taliban governance might be less restrictive toward women. And there are certainly economic incentives, as the resumption of international aid would be based at least in part on human rights considerations. None of that has seemed to make a difference thus far. Although some Taliban officials continue to say that conditions will improve, women are still being kept from workplaces and schools. Each week seems to bring a new report of restrictions. In that light, the Taliban’s decision to restrict women’s freedom begins to look like a political choice as much as it is a matter of ideology. Understanding why the Taliban might see that choice as rewarding, experts say, offers insight into the group’s state-building efforts, and to the nature of the society, they now rule again. The Insecurity of Taliban Security “I did not for a minute believe that the Taliban had changed,” said Muqaddesa Yourish, a former deputy minister of commerce who fled to the United States with her family when the Taliban took power. “If anything has changed about them, it is that they know how to deal with the West.” Also read | Women teachers face uncertain future after Taliban bans them from schools Less than two months after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, their promised allowances for women in the workplace and schools have yet to appear. Most women are still banned from going to work, a supposedly temporary measure the Taliban claim is necessary for security. The leadership is using the same wording in describing when women might be allowed to attend public universities. And when secondary schools reopened, the Taliban directed boys to return to the classroom but said nothing about girls, which families across the country understood as a directive that girls should stay home. Groups like the Taliban often struggle to make the transition from violent insurgency to actual governance, said Dipali Mukhopadhyay, a researcher at the University of Minnesota who studies rebel governance in Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere. They do not have the experience, funding or personnel to deliver sophisticated government services. Instead, their main strength is controlling security — using their status as the country’s most powerful violent group to operate a kind of country-level protection racket, exchanging public safety for obedience. “We shouldn’t buy this narrative that they are an alternative to the previous government because they are providing security,” said Metra Mehran, co-founder of the Feminine Perspectives Campaign, which sought to bring women’s voices into peace negotiations. “They’re not providing security; they’ve just stopped killing us.” Mukhopadhyay echoed that sentiment. “That’s the cornerstone of understanding what the Taliban is offering: security and also the threat of force,” she said. “But people, particularly women, know that form of security comes with an ideology attached to it.” Also read | As need in Afghanistan grows dire, aid groups plead for help Viewed through that lens, restricting women’s freedom serves as a powerful demonstration of the Taliban’s power. When women and girls vanish from offices and schools, it shows that the Taliban have enough power — and implicitly, enough capacity and willingness to use violence — to dramatically reengineer public spaces. Mukhopadhyay noted that the Taliban had not only dismantled the Ministry for Women’s Affairs, but had also replaced it with the Ministry for Vice and Virtue, the feared religious police known for their public beatings of women who went out without a male relative or were dressed in something other than a burqa. “That’s a very potent symbol of who’s winning within the Taliban right now,” she said. ‘The Talib in Every Man’ But marketing is only part of the story. Despite support and funding for gender-equality efforts during 20 years of US-backed governments, Afghan women’s freedoms have always been fragile. Yourish said she has always sensed that many Afghan men were uncomfortable with women in public life. Although her own father and husband were supportive of her career, she said, they often seemed like outliers. In the final days before the Taliban took power, Yourish said, she and her friends traded stories of how “the Talib in every man is coming out,” she said. Male strangers approached her and other women on the street, shouting cryptic threats like “your days will be over soon,” she said. She could sense women’s progress crumbling, she said, even before the previous government fell. Also read | Watch: Taliban fire shots at Kabul women protesting for right to study On paper and in the tables of foreign aid budgets, gender equality was a priority for two decades. And there were substantial improvements for many women, especially those who were educated and lived in more urban areas. But Afghanistan remains a deeply patriarchal society. The Taliban’s promise to return to “traditional” values, in which women are subordinate to their male relatives, is an attractive offer to many Afghan men. Alice Evans, a researcher at King’s College London who studies women’s economic and social progress, said women’s rights were caught in a “patrilineal trap.” Societies where family wealth passes through the male line traditionally place a high value on brides’ chastity, Evans said. “Girls are then closely policed to improve their marriage prospects and family honor,” she said, and norms develop that keep women out of public life. The dynamic is self-reinforcing: Families do not want to risk deviating from social norms on their own, so everyone ends up stuck in a system in which women have to stay close to home. To get out of that trap, women’s wages have to become high enough that the benefits of working outweigh the risks to family honour, Evans said. In East Asia, for instance, rapid industrialization raised women’s potential earnings, effectively buying them out of the honour-based rules that constrained them to the home. That did not happen in Afghanistan, where economic productivity and employment languished despite the influx of aid. Women’s wages did not rise enough, in enough places, to outweigh their families’ honor-based concerns, or to transform social norms. Also read | WION exclusive- Life under Taliban: Women-run studio forced to shut down in Kabul That may strengthen the Taliban. Rebel groups that are seen as grounded in local communities and values tend to be more successful, Mukhopadhyay said. For conservative Afghans, particularly men, restricting women’s freedom may be a way for the Taliban to claim they support local values. But it could still backfire, Mukhopadhyay said, if restrictions are so extreme that Afghans see them as overreach by leaders who do not understand how the country has changed. For decades, “the Talibs were living across the border in Pakistan,” she said. “Their perceptions of Islam, and modernity, are not the same as those of people in Afghanistan.” Women’s employment did become widespread enough that many families relied, at least partly, on their income, said Manizha Wafeq, co-founder and president of the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Their earnings have vanished in recent weeks as a result of Taliban restrictions, and that could cut into the public’s acceptance of their rule. “It’s already an economic crisis for the whole country,” Wafeq said. “People are already trying to figure out how to feed their families.”

Why the Taliban’s repression of women may be more tactical than ideological

On Tuesday, several youngsters ran to school in Kabul as the Taliban symbolically strolled over the runway of the capital's airport, celebrating their victory following the pullout of US soldiers.&nbsp;

Some of the benefits of the last 20 years were on show, even as the US and its NATO allies left Afghanistan.

Masooda was rushing to get to her private school's fifth grade lesson.

She stated, "I am not terrified of the Taliban. Why should I be?" says the narrator.

Students had been summoned to class four days prior. The Taliban have stated that kids will be separated by gender, but this is already the case in many institutions, with the exception of the early classes.&nbsp;

The Taliban have stated that children will be separated by gender, which is already the case in many Afghan institutions for older kids.

The Taliban's acting higher education minister stated on Sunday that Afghan women would be able to attend university, but that mixed classes would be prohibited under their rule.&nbsp;

"Afghans won't abandon Islam, Afghans won't accept slavery, they won't neglect their national values," Haqqani said. The Taliban have also said that they want good relations with the international community and have promised a more moderate form of Islamic rule than last time. However, the group's public rhetoric has still left Afghans deeply skeptical.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Tuesday, several youngsters ran to school in Kabul as the Taliban symbolically strolled over the runway of the capital's airport, celebrating their victory following the pullout of US soldiers.

On Tuesday, several youngsters ran to school in Kabul as the Taliban symbolically strolled over the runway of the capital's airport, celebrating their victory following the pullout of US soldiers. Some of the benefits of the last 20 years were on show, even as the US and its NATO allies left Afghanistan. Masooda was rushing to get to her private school's fifth grade lesson. She stated, "I am not terrified of the Taliban. Why should I be?" says the narrator. Students had been summoned to class four days prior. The Taliban have stated that kids will be separated by gender, but this is already the case in many institutions, with the exception of the early classes. The Taliban have stated that children will be separated by gender, which is already the case in many Afghan institutions for older kids. The Taliban's acting higher education minister stated on Sunday that Afghan women would be able to attend university, but that mixed classes would be prohibited under their rule. "Afghans won't abandon Islam, Afghans won't accept slavery, they won't neglect their national values," Haqqani said. The Taliban have also said that they want good relations with the international community and have promised a more moderate form of Islamic rule than last time. However, the group's public rhetoric has still left Afghans deeply skeptical. (With inputs from agencies)

Not afraid of Taliban, why should I be: Afghan schoolgirl after US troops' departure 

After being left behind in the country following the evacuation of international forces, an Afghan interpreter believes working with British and American troops was the "biggest mistake of his life."

The 36-year-old, who was given the code name "Steve-O" by American forces, said that he spent 20 months with the US army in 2009 and 13 months with British troops in 2010. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/surrender-or-die-taliban-pin-chilling-letters-on-doors-says-report-409709">Surrender or die': Taliban pin chilling letters on doors, says report</a>

He attempted to enter the airport, like thousands of other desperate Afghans, to be evacuated from the country, but was unable to do so due to the enormous crowds.&nbsp;

Thousands of Afghan nationals who worked alongside the US during Afghanistan's 20-year conflict face death at the hands of the Taliban.

Many Afghans assisted the US and coalition members as translators, drivers, and in other capacities. They've never been more vulnerable than now that the Taliban has taken power.&nbsp;

Since 2001, 300 Afghan interpreters and their families have been killed as a result of their involvement with American forces, according to the non-profit No One Left Behind.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After being left behind in the country following the evacuation of international forces, an Afghan interpreter believes working with British and American troops was the "biggest mistake of his life.

After being left behind in the country following the evacuation of international forces, an Afghan interpreter believes working with British and American troops was the "biggest mistake of his life." The 36-year-old, who was given the code name "Steve-O" by American forces, said that he spent 20 months with the US army in 2009 and 13 months with British troops in 2010. Also read | Surrender or die': Taliban pin chilling letters on doors, says report He attempted to enter the airport, like thousands of other desperate Afghans, to be evacuated from the country, but was unable to do so due to the enormous crowds. Thousands of Afghan nationals who worked alongside the US during Afghanistan's 20-year conflict face death at the hands of the Taliban. Many Afghans assisted the US and coalition members as translators, drivers, and in other capacities. They've never been more vulnerable than now that the Taliban has taken power. Since 2001, 300 Afghan interpreters and their families have been killed as a result of their involvement with American forces, according to the non-profit No One Left Behind. (With inputs from agencies)

Working with UK and US 'biggest mistake of my life': Afghan interpreter left in Kabul

Taliban&nbsp;spokesman&nbsp;Zabihullah&nbsp;Mujahid&nbsp;on Tuesday urged Taliban soldiers to 'treat the people well', adding that they were entitled to 'peace'. His remarks came hours after the last of the United States and allied troops withdrew from Kabul airport.

Al-Emarah, a Taliban-affiliated media outlet published footage of Mujahid's interaction with the&nbsp;Badri 313 unit. In the footage, elite soldiers from the Badri 313 unit were seen standing before Mujahid, decked in modern military fatigues.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-us-troops-leave-afghanistan-taliban-strike-panjshir-killing-7-fighters-409743" hreflang="en">After US troops leave Afghanistan, Taliban strike Panjshir, killing 7 fighters</a>

Speaking in Pashto, he said to the Taliban soldiers&nbsp;"we praise your sacrifices, and this (victory) is due to the blessings of your sacrifices. It is due to the sacrifices of our&nbsp;mujahideen. Due to the sincerity, perseverance, and patience of our elders, we gained our freedom."

He congratulated them and said that he hopes Afghanistan will never again be occupied and will be a free, prosperous country inhabited by Afghans and that there will be an Islamic government in place.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/surrender-or-die-taliban-pin-chilling-letters-on-doors-says-report-409709" hreflang="en">'Surrender or die': Taliban pin chilling letters on doors, says report</a>

Adding a word of caution to his congratulatory message he said "However, I still ask you to be very careful in behaving with people. The nation has suffered a lot, and they have been repressed because of the occupation, have seen problems for 20 years, and can no longer tolerate misbehaviour."

Finally, he noted that ensuring that Afghans are treated properly by the military is important, proclaiming, "we are the servants of the nation", and that the Taliban is not there to dominate the people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/as-taliban-gain-complete-control-of-afghanistan-kabul-residents-hold-on-to-hope-for-a-peaceful-future-409727" hreflang="en">As Taliban gain complete control of Afghanistan, Kabul residents hold on to hope for a 'peaceful' future</a>

In spite of this the people, however, remain sceptical&nbsp;of the future they face.&nbsp;As the Taliban celebrated&nbsp;the withdrawal of US troops, many Afghan&nbsp;residents of Kabul fear a return to the Taliban's infamous 1996-2001 rule where women and girls especially were treated harshly.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A minute before midnight, the last US forces left on C-17 aircraft, ending Washington's embarrassing departure from Afghanistan and bringing an end to a war that ironically left the Islamist militia stronger than it was in 2001.

(With inputs from agencies)

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday urged Taliban soldiers to 'treat the people well', adding that they were entitled to 'peace'. His remarks came hours after the last of the United States and allied troops withdrew from Kabul airport.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday urged Taliban soldiers to 'treat the people well', adding that they were entitled to 'peace'. His remarks came hours after the last of the United States and allied troops withdrew from Kabul airport. Al-Emarah, a Taliban-affiliated media outlet published footage of Mujahid's interaction with the Badri 313 unit. In the footage, elite soldiers from the Badri 313 unit were seen standing before Mujahid, decked in modern military fatigues. Also read | After US troops leave Afghanistan, Taliban strike Panjshir, killing 7 fighters Speaking in Pashto, he said to the Taliban soldiers "we praise your sacrifices, and this (victory) is due to the blessings of your sacrifices. It is due to the sacrifices of our mujahideen. Due to the sincerity, perseverance, and patience of our elders, we gained our freedom." He congratulated them and said that he hopes Afghanistan will never again be occupied and will be a free, prosperous country inhabited by Afghans and that there will be an Islamic government in place. Also read | 'Surrender or die': Taliban pin chilling letters on doors, says report Adding a word of caution to his congratulatory message he said "However, I still ask you to be very careful in behaving with people. The nation has suffered a lot, and they have been repressed because of the occupation, have seen problems for 20 years, and can no longer tolerate misbehaviour." Finally, he noted that ensuring that Afghans are treated properly by the military is important, proclaiming, "we are the servants of the nation", and that the Taliban is not there to dominate the people. Also read | As Taliban gain complete control of Afghanistan, Kabul residents hold on to hope for a 'peaceful' future In spite of this the people, however, remain sceptical of the future they face. As the Taliban celebrated the withdrawal of US troops, many Afghan residents of Kabul fear a return to the Taliban's infamous 1996-2001 rule where women and girls especially were treated harshly. A minute before midnight, the last US forces left on C-17 aircraft, ending Washington's embarrassing departure from Afghanistan and bringing an end to a war that ironically left the Islamist militia stronger than it was in 2001. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban spokesperson asks soldiers to 'treat the people well', citizens however remain sceptic

Tuesday was the first day that the hardline Islamist Taliban have been in total control of Afghanistan.&nbsp;

As the group celebrates the withdrawal of US troops, many Afghan&nbsp;residents of Kabul fear a return of the earlier infamous rule of the Taliban.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/surrender-or-die-taliban-pin-chilling-letters-on-doors-says-report-409709" hreflang="en">'Surrender or die': Taliban pin chilling letters on doors, says report</a>

Between 1996-2001, the group was notorious for its treatment of girls and women and a brutal justice system.&nbsp;

Even though the Taliban have repeatedly promised a more tolerant government the Mujahid has continued with the earlier theme.&nbsp;

An Afghan resident says that the government must be inclusive and acceptable for Afghans.&nbsp;

However, some residents were concerned by the Taliban's celebratory gunfire overnight, but many continue to hold hope that now that the US has withdrawn completely the Taliban will stay true to its word and bring about nationwide peace.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/explainer-what-is-badri-313-unit-talibans-so-called-special-force-409665" hreflang="en">Explainer: What is Badri 313 unit? Taliban's so-called 'special force'</a>

The United States' longest military conflict ended on Monday night with the withdrawal of its forces from Kabul's airport.&nbsp;In its frenzied airlift, more than 123,000 people fled life under the Taliban.

In a shocking turnaround from the 2001 US force invasion of the country, as soon as the US left the Taliban fighters swept into the airport and fired weapons in jubilation across the city.

"Congratulations to Afghanistan... this victory belongs to us all," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters hours later on the runway of the airport, adding that&nbsp;the Taliban victory was a "lesson for other invaders".

"We want to have good relations with the US and the world. We welcome good diplomatic relations with them all," he said.

Mujahid also insisted Taliban security forces would "be gentle and nice".

(With inputs from agencies)

Tuesday was the first day that the hardline Islamist Taliban have been in total control of Afghanistan. As the group celebrates the withdrawal of US troops, many Afghan residents of Kabul fear a return of the earlier infamous rule of the Taliban.

Tuesday was the first day that the hardline Islamist Taliban have been in total control of Afghanistan. As the group celebrates the withdrawal of US troops, many Afghan residents of Kabul fear a return of the earlier infamous rule of the Taliban. Also read | 'Surrender or die': Taliban pin chilling letters on doors, says report Between 1996-2001, the group was notorious for its treatment of girls and women and a brutal justice system. Even though the Taliban have repeatedly promised a more tolerant government the Mujahid has continued with the earlier theme. An Afghan resident says that the government must be inclusive and acceptable for Afghans. However, some residents were concerned by the Taliban's celebratory gunfire overnight, but many continue to hold hope that now that the US has withdrawn completely the Taliban will stay true to its word and bring about nationwide peace. Also read | Explainer: What is Badri 313 unit? Taliban's so-called 'special force' The United States' longest military conflict ended on Monday night with the withdrawal of its forces from Kabul's airport. In its frenzied airlift, more than 123,000 people fled life under the Taliban. In a shocking turnaround from the 2001 US force invasion of the country, as soon as the US left the Taliban fighters swept into the airport and fired weapons in jubilation across the city. "Congratulations to Afghanistan... this victory belongs to us all," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters hours later on the runway of the airport, adding that the Taliban victory was a "lesson for other invaders". "We want to have good relations with the US and the world. We welcome good diplomatic relations with them all," he said. Mujahid also insisted Taliban security forces would "be gentle and nice". (With inputs from agencies)

As Taliban gain complete control of Afghanistan, Kabul residents hold on to hope for a 'peaceful' future

Britain on Wednesday warned the Taliban against attempts to coercively seal off Afghanistan from the rest of the world and urged the militant group to keep its borders open.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said attempts by the Taliban to shut down the country could trigger a "refugee crisis" once Western forces withdrew from Kabul airport on August 31, as migrants make their way to neighbouring countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-agrees-to-let-afghans-leave-after-august-31-german-envoy-markus-potzel-408353" hreflang="en">Taliban agrees to let Afghans leave after August 31: German envoy Markus Potzel</a>

He noted that the Afghan border was "rugged and wide-ranging" and that efforts to isolate the country from the rest of the world would fail.

&nbsp;
<gwofw>
"If the Taliban leadership, as they were saying overnight, want to avoid the brain drain, they're not going to be able to do that by coercively blocking the border," he told Times Radio.

"You'll just see a larger flow of refugees going out and they'll have to be processed. They're not going to be able to avoid the refugee crisis by just a few roadblocks, they're not going to be able to hermetically seal the Afghan border, which is rugged and wide-ranging," he said.

During a series of interviews on Wednesday, Raab also sought to dismiss media reports of him "lounging on the beach" on holiday at the height of the Afghan crisis earlier this month.

He stressed that he had been constantly in virtual contact with the COBRA [Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms] meeting and officials to ensure the airlift of British nationals and supporters from the country. He said that the UK has evacuated more than 9,000 people from Afghanistan since August 15, including 2,000 people in the last 24 hours.

"I think it's going right the way up to the end of the calendar month," Raab said, in reference to efforts to airlift a further 4,000 people ahead of the Taliban's August 31 exit deadline. This also includes a Royal Marine veteran Paul "Pen" Farthing, who has been seeking evacuation with all the animals from his rescue shelter in the region.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/briton-to-evacuate-200-dogs-and-cats-from-his-animal-shelter-in-kabul-408364">Briton to evacuate 200 dogs and cats from his animal shelter in Kabul</a>

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had earlier said he could not prioritise animals over humans in the rescue mission but in a latest tweet he held out some hope for Farthing.

"If he arrives (at Kabul Airport) with his animals we will seek a slot for his plane. If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF (Royal Air Force) flight," said Wallace.

The UK and other allies, including through an emergency G7 meeting on Tuesday, had urged the US to stay beyond August 31 to allow more time for evacuation flights. But the Taliban remains staunchly opposed to any such extension and US President Joe Biden has also said the airlift had to come to an end by then because of the growing risk of an attack by the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who chaired the G7 virtual meet, told reporters following the talks that the West's number one condition for releasing the frozen assets was "safe passage"&nbsp;for people fleeing the country. Last week, the US froze USD 9.5 billion in assets belonging to the central bank of Afghanistan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-chokes-taliban-funds-freezes-95-billion-of-afghan-central-bank-406641">US chokes Taliban funds, freezes $9.5 billion of Afghan central bank</a>

"If those huge funds are going to be unfrozen eventually for use by the government and people of Afghanistan, then what we're saying is Afghanistan can't lurch back into becoming a breeding ground of terror, Afghanistan can't become a narco state, girls have got to be educated up to the age of 18," said Johnson.

"Those are important things that we value. Those are things we fought for&nbsp;years in Afghanistan, for which people in this country gave their lives. We remain committed to those values and we remain committed to Afghanistan. The No 1 condition we're insisting on is safe passage,"&nbsp;he said.

The G7 joint statement also revolves around the central concern of the safe exit of foreigners and Afghans eligible for evacuation for having supported the US-led NATO operation in the country.&nbsp;
</gwofw>

&nbsp;

Britain on Wednesday warned the Taliban against attempts to coercively seal off Afghanistan from the rest of the world and urged the militant group to keep its borders open.

Britain on Wednesday warned the Taliban against attempts to coercively seal off Afghanistan from the rest of the world and urged the militant group to keep its borders open. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said attempts by the Taliban to shut down the country could trigger a "refugee crisis" once Western forces withdrew from Kabul airport on August 31, as migrants make their way to neighbouring countries. Also read | Taliban agrees to let Afghans leave after August 31: German envoy Markus Potzel He noted that the Afghan border was "rugged and wide-ranging" and that efforts to isolate the country from the rest of the world would fail. "If the Taliban leadership, as they were saying overnight, want to avoid the brain drain, they're not going to be able to do that by coercively blocking the border," he told Times Radio. "You'll just see a larger flow of refugees going out and they'll have to be processed. They're not going to be able to avoid the refugee crisis by just a few roadblocks, they're not going to be able to hermetically seal the Afghan border, which is rugged and wide-ranging," he said. During a series of interviews on Wednesday, Raab also sought to dismiss media reports of him "lounging on the beach" on holiday at the height of the Afghan crisis earlier this month. He stressed that he had been constantly in virtual contact with the COBRA [Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms] meeting and officials to ensure the airlift of British nationals and supporters from the country. He said that the UK has evacuated more than 9,000 people from Afghanistan since August 15, including 2,000 people in the last 24 hours. "I think it's going right the way up to the end of the calendar month," Raab said, in reference to efforts to airlift a further 4,000 people ahead of the Taliban's August 31 exit deadline. This also includes a Royal Marine veteran Paul "Pen" Farthing, who has been seeking evacuation with all the animals from his rescue shelter in the region. Also read | Briton to evacuate 200 dogs and cats from his animal shelter in Kabul Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had earlier said he could not prioritise animals over humans in the rescue mission but in a latest tweet he held out some hope for Farthing. "If he arrives (at Kabul Airport) with his animals we will seek a slot for his plane. If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF (Royal Air Force) flight," said Wallace. The UK and other allies, including through an emergency G7 meeting on Tuesday, had urged the US to stay beyond August 31 to allow more time for evacuation flights. But the Taliban remains staunchly opposed to any such extension and US President Joe Biden has also said the airlift had to come to an end by then because of the growing risk of an attack by the Islamic State group in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who chaired the G7 virtual meet, told reporters following the talks that the West's number one condition for releasing the frozen assets was "safe passage" for people fleeing the country. Last week, the US froze USD 9.5 billion in assets belonging to the central bank of Afghanistan. Also read | US chokes Taliban funds, freezes $9.5 billion of Afghan central bank "If those huge funds are going to be unfrozen eventually for use by the government and people of Afghanistan, then what we're saying is Afghanistan can't lurch back into becoming a breeding ground of terror, Afghanistan can't become a narco state, girls have got to be educated up to the age of 18," said Johnson. "Those are important things that we value. Those are things we fought for years in Afghanistan, for which people in this country gave their lives. We remain committed to those values and we remain committed to Afghanistan. The No 1 condition we're insisting on is safe passage," he said. The G7 joint statement also revolves around the central concern of the safe exit of foreigners and Afghans eligible for evacuation for having supported the US-led NATO operation in the country.

UK warns Taliban against sealing Afghanistan off from the world

Taking aim at US president Joe Biden's Afghan policy, former President Donald Trump expressed concern that thousands of terrorists might have been flown out from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation process.

"Biden surrendered Afghanistan to terrorists and left thousands of Americans for dead by pulling out the military before our citizens," Trump said in a statement on Tuesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/joe-biden-says-us-on-pace-to-end-afghan-mission-by-august-31-408146" hreflang="en">Joe Biden says US 'on pace' to end Afghan mission by August 31</a>

"Now we are learning that out of the 26,000 people who have been evacuated, only 4,000 are Americans. You can be sure, the Taliban, who are now in complete control, didn't allow the best and brightest to board these evacuation flights."

"Instead, we can only imagine how many thousands of terrorists have been airlifted out of Afghanistan and into neighbourhoods around the world. What a terrible failure. NO VETTING. How many terrorists will Joe Biden bring to America? We don't know!", He said.

Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Mike Waltz, a former veteran of Afghanistan, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives, criticizing Biden's blatant disregard for the advice of military and intelligence advisors.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-change-to-august-31-withdrawal-deadline-pentagons-john-kirby-408091" hreflang="en">'No change' to August 31 withdrawal deadline: Pentagon’s John Kirby</a>

He alleges that President Biden, ignored advice on the nature and speed of the Taliban offensive and that he failed to present a coherent counterterrorism or evacuation plan to the American people, and has done harm to US credibility by abandoning the US's Afghan allies.

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik cosponsored the resolution.

"President Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and created the worst foreign policy blunder in our modern history," Waltz said.

Waltz said that Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and has made the worst foreign policy blunder in US modern history.

As per Waltz, in order to seek a headline that he would withdraw US troops prior to the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Biden created a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-taliban-evade-wions-question-on-secret-meeting-between-mullah-baradar-and-cia-chief-408084" hreflang="en">Watch | Taliban evade WION’s question on secret meeting between Mullah Baradar and CIA chief</a>

'Now, we will have shamefully given away the freedoms of Afghans, our military equipment and infrastructure, and countless other resources to the hands of Taliban terrorists because of the President's cluelessness and stubbornness,' Waltz alleged.

'Additionally, it is growing more likely by the day we will have broken our promise to thousands of Afghan allies who stood should-to-shoulder with our troops on the battlefield that have now been handed a death sentence for our failure to safely evacuate them in a timely fashion," he said.

Waltz also said that the intelligence community has repeatedly warned that Al Qaeda 3.0 will return as the Taliban have shown no signs of cutting ties with the September 11 attack perpetrators.&nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Taking aim at US president Joe Biden's Afghan policy, former President Donald Trump expressed concern that thousands of terrorists might have been flown out from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation process.

Taking aim at US president Joe Biden's Afghan policy, former President Donald Trump expressed concern that thousands of terrorists might have been flown out from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation process. "Biden surrendered Afghanistan to terrorists and left thousands of Americans for dead by pulling out the military before our citizens," Trump said in a statement on Tuesday. Also read | Joe Biden says US 'on pace' to end Afghan mission by August 31 "Now we are learning that out of the 26,000 people who have been evacuated, only 4,000 are Americans. You can be sure, the Taliban, who are now in complete control, didn't allow the best and brightest to board these evacuation flights." "Instead, we can only imagine how many thousands of terrorists have been airlifted out of Afghanistan and into neighbourhoods around the world. What a terrible failure. NO VETTING. How many terrorists will Joe Biden bring to America? We don't know!", He said. Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Mike Waltz, a former veteran of Afghanistan, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives, criticizing Biden's blatant disregard for the advice of military and intelligence advisors. Also read | 'No change' to August 31 withdrawal deadline: Pentagon’s John Kirby He alleges that President Biden, ignored advice on the nature and speed of the Taliban offensive and that he failed to present a coherent counterterrorism or evacuation plan to the American people, and has done harm to US credibility by abandoning the US's Afghan allies. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik cosponsored the resolution. "President Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and created the worst foreign policy blunder in our modern history," Waltz said. Waltz said that Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and has made the worst foreign policy blunder in US modern history. As per Waltz, in order to seek a headline that he would withdraw US troops prior to the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Biden created a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Also read | Watch | Taliban evade WION’s question on secret meeting between Mullah Baradar and CIA chief 'Now, we will have shamefully given away the freedoms of Afghans, our military equipment and infrastructure, and countless other resources to the hands of Taliban terrorists because of the President's cluelessness and stubbornness,' Waltz alleged. 'Additionally, it is growing more likely by the day we will have broken our promise to thousands of Afghan allies who stood should-to-shoulder with our troops on the battlefield that have now been handed a death sentence for our failure to safely evacuate them in a timely fashion," he said. Waltz also said that the intelligence community has repeatedly warned that Al Qaeda 3.0 will return as the Taliban have shown no signs of cutting ties with the September 11 attack perpetrators. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump takes aim at Biden's Afghan policy, alleges thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul

The Taliban is intensifying a search for people who worked with the US and NATO forces, a confidential United Nations document says, despite the militants vowing no revenge against opponents.

The report, provided by the UN's threat-assessment consultants and seen by AFP - says the group has "priority lists" of individuals it wants to arrest.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-facebook-twitter-and-linkedin-secure-users-accounts-amid-taliban-takeover-407020">Live: Afghanistan crisis-Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn secure users' accounts amid Taliban takeover</a></h2>

Most at risk are people who had central roles in the Afghan military, police and intelligence units, according to the document.

The Taliban have been conducting "targeted&nbsp;door-to-door&nbsp;visits" of individuals they want to apprehend and their family members, the report says.

It adds that militants are also screening individuals on the way to Kabul airport and have set up checkpoints in major cities, including the capital and Jalalabad.

The document, dated Wednesday, was written by the Norwegian Center for Global Analyses, an organisation that provides intelligence to UN agencies.

"They are targeting the families of those who refuse to give themselves up, and prosecuting and punishing their families 'according to Sharia law,'" Christian Nellemann, the group's executive director, told AFP.

"We expect both individuals previously working with NATO/US forces and their allies, alongside with their family members to be exposed to torture and executions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/heartbreaking-desperate-afghan-mothers-throw-children-over-kabul-airport-fence-in-bid-to-escape-taliban-407089">Heartbreaking: Desperate Afghan mothers throw children over Kabul airport fence in bid to escape Taliban</a>

"This will further jeopardize western intelligence services, their networks, methods and ability to counter both the Taliban, ISIS and other terrorist threats ahead," he added.

'Recruiting' informers&nbsp;

The report says the militants are "rapidly recruiting" new informers to collaborate with the Taliban regime and are expanding their lists of targets by contacting mosques and money brokers.

It reprints a letter, dated August 16, from the Taliban to an individual who worked in counterterrorism in the Afghan government.

The letter asks the person to report to Taliban officials to "provide information about the nature of your work and relationship with the British and Americans."

"If you do not report to the commission, your family members will be arrested instead, and you are responsible for this. You and your family members will be treated based on Sharia law," it says.

The Norwegian Center for Global Analyses also warned the Taliban may target or arrest remaining Westerners or other foreign personnel, including medical workers if they criticise the militants.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-call-on-afghanistans-imams-to-urge-unity-as-protests-spread-to-kabul-407074" hreflang="en">Taliban call on Afghanistan's imams to urge unity as protests spread to Kabul</a>

A UN spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the document.

The Taliban have launched a public relations blitz since sweeping back into power on Sunday, completing a stunning rout of government forces as the United States and other foreign troops withdrew following a 20-year occupation.

Among promises such as rights for women and an inclusive government, the militants have also pledged full amnesty for all who worked with the Western-backed elected Afghan government.

But Afghans have not forgotten the Taliban's ultra-conservative Islamic regime of 1996-2001, when brutal punishments, such as stoning to death for adultery, were imposed.

Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee the country since the Taliban takeover, sparking chaos at Kabul airport.

The Taliban is intensifying a search for people who worked with the US and NATO forces, a confidential United Nations document says, despite the militants vowing no revenge against opponents.

The Taliban is intensifying a search for people who worked with the US and NATO forces, a confidential United Nations document says, despite the militants vowing no revenge against opponents. The report, provided by the UN's threat-assessment consultants and seen by AFP - says the group has "priority lists" of individuals it wants to arrest. Live: Afghanistan crisis-Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn secure users' accounts amid Taliban takeover Most at risk are people who had central roles in the Afghan military, police and intelligence units, according to the document. The Taliban have been conducting "targeted door-to-door visits" of individuals they want to apprehend and their family members, the report says. It adds that militants are also screening individuals on the way to Kabul airport and have set up checkpoints in major cities, including the capital and Jalalabad. The document, dated Wednesday, was written by the Norwegian Center for Global Analyses, an organisation that provides intelligence to UN agencies. "They are targeting the families of those who refuse to give themselves up, and prosecuting and punishing their families 'according to Sharia law,'" Christian Nellemann, the group's executive director, told AFP. "We expect both individuals previously working with NATO/US forces and their allies, alongside with their family members to be exposed to torture and executions. Also read | Heartbreaking: Desperate Afghan mothers throw children over Kabul airport fence in bid to escape Taliban "This will further jeopardize western intelligence services, their networks, methods and ability to counter both the Taliban, ISIS and other terrorist threats ahead," he added. 'Recruiting' informers The report says the militants are "rapidly recruiting" new informers to collaborate with the Taliban regime and are expanding their lists of targets by contacting mosques and money brokers. It reprints a letter, dated August 16, from the Taliban to an individual who worked in counterterrorism in the Afghan government. The letter asks the person to report to Taliban officials to "provide information about the nature of your work and relationship with the British and Americans." "If you do not report to the commission, your family members will be arrested instead, and you are responsible for this. You and your family members will be treated based on Sharia law," it says. The Norwegian Center for Global Analyses also warned the Taliban may target or arrest remaining Westerners or other foreign personnel, including medical workers if they criticise the militants. Also read | Taliban call on Afghanistan's imams to urge unity as protests spread to Kabul A UN spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the document. The Taliban have launched a public relations blitz since sweeping back into power on Sunday, completing a stunning rout of government forces as the United States and other foreign troops withdrew following a 20-year occupation. Among promises such as rights for women and an inclusive government, the militants have also pledged full amnesty for all who worked with the Western-backed elected Afghan government. But Afghans have not forgotten the Taliban's ultra-conservative Islamic regime of 1996-2001, when brutal punishments, such as stoning to death for adultery, were imposed. Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee the country since the Taliban takeover, sparking chaos at Kabul airport.

Taliban 'intensifying' door-to-door search for Afghans who helped US, claims UN document

The Taliban reportedly raided the shuttered Indian Consulates in Kandahar and Herat two days ago, seizing documents from both missions.

The militants allegedly stormed into the Consulate premises and took away parked vehicles, according to reports.

After the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15, four Indian consulates in Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Jalalabad were shuttered.

The Indian Embassy staffs were evacuated by an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft on Tuesday, carrying back 120 Indians, including ITBP personnel, from the Kabul airport, despite the dangerous situation in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The evacuation of surviving Indian employees was also reviewed during a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed that all necessary efforts be taken to return them.&nbsp;

The Taliban leadership claimed earlier this week that the fighters have been instructed not to enter vacant diplomatic buildings of foreign countries or to manhandle their vehicles.

The newest allegations of raids against Indian missions, on the other hand, contradict the Taliban commanders' statements.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Taliban reportedly raided the shuttered Indian Consulates in Kandahar and Herat two days ago, seizing documents from both missions. The militants allegedly stormed into the Consulate premises and took away parked vehicles, according to reports.

The Taliban reportedly raided the shuttered Indian Consulates in Kandahar and Herat two days ago, seizing documents from both missions. The militants allegedly stormed into the Consulate premises and took away parked vehicles, according to reports. After the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15, four Indian consulates in Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Jalalabad were shuttered. The Indian Embassy staffs were evacuated by an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft on Tuesday, carrying back 120 Indians, including ITBP personnel, from the Kabul airport, despite the dangerous situation in Afghanistan. The evacuation of surviving Indian employees was also reviewed during a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed that all necessary efforts be taken to return them. The Taliban leadership claimed earlier this week that the fighters have been instructed not to enter vacant diplomatic buildings of foreign countries or to manhandle their vehicles. The newest allegations of raids against Indian missions, on the other hand, contradict the Taliban commanders' statements. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban broke into Indian consulates, took away documents and parked vehicles

The terrorist group Islamic State has claimed that the Taliban in Afghanistan are fake jihadists and that the group is collaborating with the US. 
 
IS has mocked the Taliban's success in Afghanistan in its official weekly publication Al-Naba, alleging that the country was simply handed over to the Islamist rival by the withdrawal of American soldiers.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | Will India recognise the Taliban in Afghanistan?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/will-india-recognise-the-taliban-in-afghanistan-407269/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

 
The article shows a long-standing and bitter rivalry between the Islamic State and the Taliban. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/muscles-sliced-off-strangled-with-scarf-nine-men-of-the-hazara-minority-killed-by-taliban-407237">Also read | Muscles sliced off, strangled with scarf: Nine men of the Hazara minority killed by Taliban</a>

In its first statement since the Taliban took control of Kabul, the terrorist group claimed that the Afghan movement had not engaged in genuine "jihad" — or holy war — and raised doubts about its ability to impose true sharia rule in the country. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-taliban-burn-down-amusement-park-in-afghanistan-406897">Watch: Taliban burn down amusement park in Afghanistan</a>

Due to ideological differences, IS has a foothold in Afghanistan's Khorasan province and is a sworn adversary of the Taliban.&nbsp;

According to one extract of the editorial, "during the Taliban's march into Kabul, we saw how the American troops and the Taliban coordinated directly, and how the evacuation procedures for thousands of Crusaders and spies continued amid strong trust between the two sides."

IS supporters are likely to begin a coordinated hashtag campaign online to promote the latest IS statement, as they have been doing for days. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-facebook-twitter-and-linkedin-secure-users-accounts-amid-taliban-takeover-407020">Live: Afghanistan crisis</a>:

IS has described the Taliban as a "Mullah Bradley" project, a reference to jihadists recruited by the US to destabilise the movement from inside.&nbsp;

It also mocked the new Taliban as a tool in the guise of Islam, which would be used by the US to mislead Muslims and combat the Islamic State's foothold in the region.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The terrorist group Islamic State has claimed that the Taliban in Afghanistan are fake jihadists and that the group is collaborating with the US. IS has mocked the Taliban's success in Afghanistan in its official weekly publication Al-Naba, alleging that the country was simply handed over to the Islamist rival by the withdrawal of American soldiers.

The terrorist group Islamic State has claimed that the Taliban in Afghanistan are fake jihadists and that the group is collaborating with the US. IS has mocked the Taliban's success in Afghanistan in its official weekly publication Al-Naba, alleging that the country was simply handed over to the Islamist rival by the withdrawal of American soldiers. Watch | Will India recognise the Taliban in Afghanistan? The article shows a long-standing and bitter rivalry between the Islamic State and the Taliban. Also read | Muscles sliced off, strangled with scarf: Nine men of the Hazara minority killed by Taliban In its first statement since the Taliban took control of Kabul, the terrorist group claimed that the Afghan movement had not engaged in genuine "jihad" — or holy war — and raised doubts about its ability to impose true sharia rule in the country. Watch: Taliban burn down amusement park in Afghanistan Due to ideological differences, IS has a foothold in Afghanistan's Khorasan province and is a sworn adversary of the Taliban. According to one extract of the editorial, "during the Taliban's march into Kabul, we saw how the American troops and the Taliban coordinated directly, and how the evacuation procedures for thousands of Crusaders and spies continued amid strong trust between the two sides." IS supporters are likely to begin a coordinated hashtag campaign online to promote the latest IS statement, as they have been doing for days. Live: Afghanistan crisis: IS has described the Taliban as a "Mullah Bradley" project, a reference to jihadists recruited by the US to destabilise the movement from inside. It also mocked the new Taliban as a tool in the guise of Islam, which would be used by the US to mislead Muslims and combat the Islamic State's foothold in the region. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban takeover of Afghanistan a 'US-backed conspiracy': Islamic State

The Taliban called on Afghanistan's imams to urge unity when they hold their first Friday prayers since the Islamist group seized control of the country, as protests against the takeover spread to more cities on Thursday, including the capital, Kabul.

Several people were killed when Taliban terrorists fired on a crowd in the eastern city of Asadabad, a witness said. Another witness reported gunshots near a rally in Kabul, but they appeared to be Taliban firing into the air.

On the day Afghanistan celebrates its independence from British control in 1919, a social media video showed a crowd of men and women in Kabul waving black, red and green national flags.

"Our flag, our identity," they shouted.

At some protests elsewhere, the media reported people tearing down the Taliban's white flag.

A Taliban spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Some demonstrations were small, but combined with the desperate scramble of thousands of people seeking to flee the country, they underline the challenge the Taliban face in governing.

Kabul has been largely calm, but 12 people have been killed in and around the airport, NATO and Taliban officials said.

The US military said more than 5,200 American troops were guarding Kabul airport, where multiple gates to the facility are now open, while US fighter jets were flying over the city to ensure security for the evacuation operation for diplomats and civilians, including some Afghan citizens.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said 6,000 "fully processed" people were currently at the Kabul airport and would soon be boarding planes. A source told Reuters that White House officials told a congressional briefing that the United States had already evacuated 6,741 people, including 1,792 American citizens and legal permanent residents.

The Taliban swiftly conquered Afghanistan as US and other foreign troops withdrew, surprising even their own leaders and leaving power vacuums in many places.

The Taliban urged unity ahead of Friday prayers, calling on imams to persuade people not to leave Afghanistan.

Since seizing Kabul on Sunday, the Taliban have presented a more moderate face, saying they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies and will respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.

When in power from 1996-2001, they severely restricted women's rights, staged public executions and blew up ancient Buddhist statues. They were ousted in a 2001 US-led invasion.

BLACKLIST

A report by a Norwegian intelligence group said the Taliban had begun rounding up Afghans on a blacklist of people linked to Afghanistan's previous administration or US-led forces that supported it. Complaints by some Afghan journalists have cast doubt on assurances that independent media would be allowed.

A US lawmaker said the Taliban were using files from Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, to identify Afghans who worked for the United States.

"They are methodically ramping up efforts to round those folks up," said Representative Jason Crow, who has been leading efforts in the US Congress to accelerate the evacuation of American-affiliated Afghans. "I've had people send me pictures of Taliban outside their apartment complexes, searching for them."

Crow voiced concern that the US government may end the evacuation operation on Aug. 31, leaving more than 100,000 at-risk Afghans and family members in danger of Taliban reprisals.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn said they had moved to secure the accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them from being targeted amid the Taliban's takeover.

It was unclear if the Asadabad casualties resulted from Taliban firing or from a stampede.

"Hundreds of people came out on the streets," witness Mohammed Salim said. "At first I was scared and didn't want to go, but when I saw one of my neighbours joined in, I took out the flag I have at home. Several people were killed and injured in the stampede and firing by the Taliban."

Protests flared in the city of Jalalabad and in Paktia province, also in the east.

First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who said on Tuesday he was the "legitimate caretaker president" after President Ashraf Ghani fled, wrote on Twitter: "Salute those who carry the national flag and thus stand for dignity of the nation."

Ahmad Massoud, son of guerrilla leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was killed by suspected al Qaeda terrorists in 2001, wrote in a Washington Post that he is "ready to follow in my father's footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban."

LIMITED LEVERAGE

US President Joe Biden said the Taliban must decide if they want international recognition.

"Do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government? I'm not sure they do," Biden said in TV interview.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview with NBC News that the United States is "laser-focused" on "the potential for a terrorist attack" by a group like Islamic State amid the evacuation.

"We will get any American who wants to get to the airport and who we get in contact with who says: 'I want to get out and get on a plane,' we will make that happen," Sullivan said.

About two dozen US diplomats in Afghanistan sent an internal cable last month warning Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the potential fall of Kabul to the Taliban as US troops withdrew from the country, The Wall Street Journal reported.

G7 foreign ministers called for a united international response to prevent the crisis from worsening, in comments echoed by countries including Russia, China said the world should support, not pressure, Afghanistan.

A Taliban official said they could not be blamed for the chaos at Kabul airport. In one scene captured on social media, a small girl was hoisted over the airport's perimeter wall and handed to a US soldier.

Under a pact negotiated by former President Donald Trump's administration, the United States agreed to withdraw its forces in exchange for a Taliban guarantee not to attack departing foreign forces or let Afghanistan be used for terrorist attacks.

The Taliban called on Afghanistan's imams to urge unity when they hold their first Friday prayers since the Islamist group seized control of the country, as protests against the takeover spread to more cities on Thursday, including the capital, Kabul.

The Taliban called on Afghanistan's imams to urge unity when they hold their first Friday prayers since the Islamist group seized control of the country, as protests against the takeover spread to more cities on Thursday, including the capital, Kabul. Several people were killed when Taliban terrorists fired on a crowd in the eastern city of Asadabad, a witness said. Another witness reported gunshots near a rally in Kabul, but they appeared to be Taliban firing into the air. On the day Afghanistan celebrates its independence from British control in 1919, a social media video showed a crowd of men and women in Kabul waving black, red and green national flags. "Our flag, our identity," they shouted. At some protests elsewhere, the media reported people tearing down the Taliban's white flag. A Taliban spokesman was not immediately available for comment. Some demonstrations were small, but combined with the desperate scramble of thousands of people seeking to flee the country, they underline the challenge the Taliban face in governing. Kabul has been largely calm, but 12 people have been killed in and around the airport, NATO and Taliban officials said. The US military said more than 5,200 American troops were guarding Kabul airport, where multiple gates to the facility are now open, while US fighter jets were flying over the city to ensure security for the evacuation operation for diplomats and civilians, including some Afghan citizens. State Department spokesman Ned Price said 6,000 "fully processed" people were currently at the Kabul airport and would soon be boarding planes. A source told Reuters that White House officials told a congressional briefing that the United States had already evacuated 6,741 people, including 1,792 American citizens and legal permanent residents. The Taliban swiftly conquered Afghanistan as US and other foreign troops withdrew, surprising even their own leaders and leaving power vacuums in many places. The Taliban urged unity ahead of Friday prayers, calling on imams to persuade people not to leave Afghanistan. Since seizing Kabul on Sunday, the Taliban have presented a more moderate face, saying they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies and will respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law. When in power from 1996-2001, they severely restricted women's rights, staged public executions and blew up ancient Buddhist statues. They were ousted in a 2001 US-led invasion. BLACKLIST A report by a Norwegian intelligence group said the Taliban had begun rounding up Afghans on a blacklist of people linked to Afghanistan's previous administration or US-led forces that supported it. Complaints by some Afghan journalists have cast doubt on assurances that independent media would be allowed. A US lawmaker said the Taliban were using files from Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, to identify Afghans who worked for the United States. "They are methodically ramping up efforts to round those folks up," said Representative Jason Crow, who has been leading efforts in the US Congress to accelerate the evacuation of American-affiliated Afghans. "I've had people send me pictures of Taliban outside their apartment complexes, searching for them." Crow voiced concern that the US government may end the evacuation operation on Aug. 31, leaving more than 100,000 at-risk Afghans and family members in danger of Taliban reprisals. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn said they had moved to secure the accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them from being targeted amid the Taliban's takeover. It was unclear if the Asadabad casualties resulted from Taliban firing or from a stampede. "Hundreds of people came out on the streets," witness Mohammed Salim said. "At first I was scared and didn't want to go, but when I saw one of my neighbours joined in, I took out the flag I have at home. Several people were killed and injured in the stampede and firing by the Taliban." Protests flared in the city of Jalalabad and in Paktia province, also in the east. First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who said on Tuesday he was the "legitimate caretaker president" after President Ashraf Ghani fled, wrote on Twitter: "Salute those who carry the national flag and thus stand for dignity of the nation." Ahmad Massoud, son of guerrilla leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was killed by suspected al Qaeda terrorists in 2001, wrote in a Washington Post that he is "ready to follow in my father's footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban." LIMITED LEVERAGE US President Joe Biden said the Taliban must decide if they want international recognition. "Do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government? I'm not sure they do," Biden said in TV interview. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview with NBC News that the United States is "laser-focused" on "the potential for a terrorist attack" by a group like Islamic State amid the evacuation. "We will get any American who wants to get to the airport and who we get in contact with who says: 'I want to get out and get on a plane,' we will make that happen," Sullivan said. About two dozen US diplomats in Afghanistan sent an internal cable last month warning Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the potential fall of Kabul to the Taliban as US troops withdrew from the country, The Wall Street Journal reported. G7 foreign ministers called for a united international response to prevent the crisis from worsening, in comments echoed by countries including Russia, China said the world should support, not pressure, Afghanistan. A Taliban official said they could not be blamed for the chaos at Kabul airport. In one scene captured on social media, a small girl was hoisted over the airport's perimeter wall and handed to a US soldier. Under a pact negotiated by former President Donald Trump's administration, the United States agreed to withdraw its forces in exchange for a Taliban guarantee not to attack departing foreign forces or let Afghanistan be used for terrorist attacks.

Taliban call on Afghan imams to urge unity at Friday prayers

Heroin production has boomed in Afghanistan in recent years, helping fund the Taliban, and experts say they will struggle to wean themselves off the profitable trade despite their promise to do so.

Speaking Tuesday at a first press conference since taking power, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid promised that the new government would not turn the world's leading producer of opium into a fully-fledged narco-state.

"We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community that we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul.

"From now on, nobody's going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling."

But the anti-heroin rhetoric -- like similar pledges to respect human rights and media freedom — is seen by analysts as part of efforts by the new Taliban leaders to show a more moderate face in order to secure international backing.

The vast majority of the world's opium and heroin comes from Afghanistan, with production and exports centred in areas controlled by the Taliban, who have taxed the drugs heavily during their 20-year insurgency.

It has become a key resource for the group and they could struggle to ban it, said Jonathan Goodhand, an expert in the international drug trade at SOAS University of London.

"Drugs will bring out a set of tensions in the movement," he predicted.

On one hand, "they want to create this image of themselves as more moderate and more open to engagement with the West and they realise drugs is one of way of doing this," he said.

But on the other, any repression would hit farmers in the Taliban political heartlands of Helmand and Kandahar provinces in particular.

"It's going to struggle to take a very aggressive approach to drugs," he added.

Near-monopoly

In his premier press conference, Mujahid pleaded for "international assistance" to provide farmers with alternative crops to poppies, the source of sap that is refined into morphine and heroin.

The appeal for international aid might prompt hollow laughs from people who worked in the coalition of NATO forces, NGOs and UN workers over the last 10 years that tried in vain to break Afghanistan's reliance on poppy farming.

The United States spent around $8.6 billion (7.4 billion euros) from 2002 to 2017 in its doomed effort to combat the drugs trade, according to a 2018 report from the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR).

Those efforts included paying farmers to grow wheat or saffron, investing in transport links, as well as spraying defoliants on crops and bombing refining facilities.

At each step, they found themselves thwarted by Taliban fighters who controlled the main poppy-growing regions and derived hundreds of millions of dollars from the industry, according to US and Afghan government estimates.

Farmers in Taliban-controlled areas would often come under pressure to plant poppies from local warlords and fighters, investigations have found.

As a result, the country has a near-monopoly on opium and heroin, accounting for 80 to 90 percent of global output, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The amount of land planted with poppies hit a record high in 2017 and has averaged around 250,000 hectares in the last four years, roughly four times the level of the mid-1990s, UN figures show.

'Too tied up'

The narcotics policy of the new government will affect global heroin prices, with repercussions for Western countries and their addicts, as well as Russia, Iran, Pakistan and China -- all major smuggling routes but also huge markets for Afghan drugs.

In recent years, traffickers have also discovered that a plant commonly found in Afghanistan called ephedra can be used to create a key component of methamphetamine, better known as "crystal meth".

Still, spokesman Mujahid vowed Afghanistan would be a "narcotics-free country" moving forward.

It's not the first time the fundamentalist group has vowed to outlaw the trade. Production was banned in 2000, just before the group was overthrown by US-led forces.

Gretchen Peters, the American author of the book "Seeds of Terror: How Heroin Is Bankrolling the Taliban and Al-Qaeda", said the Taliban's previous ban on poppy cultivation was tactical.

"They were under immense international pressure," she said. "It was a ploy because they had so much stored up. They made a huge amount of money once the price shot up by 10 times."

"They are not going to get rid of the drug trade because they are too tied up with it."

"Afghanistan cannot survive without opium. It is simultaneously killing Afghanistan while also keeping a huge number of people alive," she said, referring to the income the industry provides to poor farmers.

Being in control of the country will offer the Taliban access to airlines, the state bureaucracy and banks which could be used to facilitate drug smuggling and money laundering, she explained.

"I have no doubt they will exploit it."

Heroin production has boomed in Afghanistan in recent years, helping fund the Taliban, and experts say they will struggle to wean themselves off the profitable trade despite their promise to do so.

Heroin production has boomed in Afghanistan in recent years, helping fund the Taliban, and experts say they will struggle to wean themselves off the profitable trade despite their promise to do so. Speaking Tuesday at a first press conference since taking power, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid promised that the new government would not turn the world's leading producer of opium into a fully-fledged narco-state. "We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community that we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul. "From now on, nobody's going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling." But the anti-heroin rhetoric -- like similar pledges to respect human rights and media freedom — is seen by analysts as part of efforts by the new Taliban leaders to show a more moderate face in order to secure international backing. The vast majority of the world's opium and heroin comes from Afghanistan, with production and exports centred in areas controlled by the Taliban, who have taxed the drugs heavily during their 20-year insurgency. It has become a key resource for the group and they could struggle to ban it, said Jonathan Goodhand, an expert in the international drug trade at SOAS University of London. "Drugs will bring out a set of tensions in the movement," he predicted. On one hand, "they want to create this image of themselves as more moderate and more open to engagement with the West and they realise drugs is one of way of doing this," he said. But on the other, any repression would hit farmers in the Taliban political heartlands of Helmand and Kandahar provinces in particular. "It's going to struggle to take a very aggressive approach to drugs," he added. Near-monopoly In his premier press conference, Mujahid pleaded for "international assistance" to provide farmers with alternative crops to poppies, the source of sap that is refined into morphine and heroin. The appeal for international aid might prompt hollow laughs from people who worked in the coalition of NATO forces, NGOs and UN workers over the last 10 years that tried in vain to break Afghanistan's reliance on poppy farming. The United States spent around $8.6 billion (7.4 billion euros) from 2002 to 2017 in its doomed effort to combat the drugs trade, according to a 2018 report from the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR). Those efforts included paying farmers to grow wheat or saffron, investing in transport links, as well as spraying defoliants on crops and bombing refining facilities. At each step, they found themselves thwarted by Taliban fighters who controlled the main poppy-growing regions and derived hundreds of millions of dollars from the industry, according to US and Afghan government estimates. Farmers in Taliban-controlled areas would often come under pressure to plant poppies from local warlords and fighters, investigations have found. As a result, the country has a near-monopoly on opium and heroin, accounting for 80 to 90 percent of global output, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The amount of land planted with poppies hit a record high in 2017 and has averaged around 250,000 hectares in the last four years, roughly four times the level of the mid-1990s, UN figures show. 'Too tied up' The narcotics policy of the new government will affect global heroin prices, with repercussions for Western countries and their addicts, as well as Russia, Iran, Pakistan and China -- all major smuggling routes but also huge markets for Afghan drugs. In recent years, traffickers have also discovered that a plant commonly found in Afghanistan called ephedra can be used to create a key component of methamphetamine, better known as "crystal meth". Still, spokesman Mujahid vowed Afghanistan would be a "narcotics-free country" moving forward. It's not the first time the fundamentalist group has vowed to outlaw the trade. Production was banned in 2000, just before the group was overthrown by US-led forces. Gretchen Peters, the American author of the book "Seeds of Terror: How Heroin Is Bankrolling the Taliban and Al-Qaeda", said the Taliban's previous ban on poppy cultivation was tactical. "They were under immense international pressure," she said. "It was a ploy because they had so much stored up. They made a huge amount of money once the price shot up by 10 times." "They are not going to get rid of the drug trade because they are too tied up with it." "Afghanistan cannot survive without opium. It is simultaneously killing Afghanistan while also keeping a huge number of people alive," she said, referring to the income the industry provides to poor farmers. Being in control of the country will offer the Taliban access to airlines, the state bureaucracy and banks which could be used to facilitate drug smuggling and money laundering, she explained. "I have no doubt they will exploit it."

Taliban vow to ban heroin, but can they survive without it?

Taliban now controls Afghanistan, this is no secret to the world. Despite the longest war the United States has ever waged, the group seized control of the country with ease.&nbsp;

In the wake of the panic and fear affecting the streets of the Afghan capital, some heart-breaking videos have emerged on social media.&nbsp;

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-facebook-twitter-and-linkedin-secure-users-accounts-amid-taliban-takeover-407020">Live: Afghanistan crisis-Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn secure users' accounts amid Taliban takeover</a></h2>

The videos show helpless Afghan women trying to ensure the safety of their children, some even throwing their children over wired fencing to the departing soldiers.

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It's been five days since the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taliban?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taliban</a> took over <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a>. NATO forces have said that over 18,000 people have been evacuated so far. But, what is the future of 38 million Afghans, who now live under the Taliban? 
 
Mohammed Saleh tells you more <a href="https://t.co/fZmXuu8PhE">pic.twitter.com/fZmXuu8PhE</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1428640644138864643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In one such video, a small girl is seen being lifted over the perimeter fence of the Kabul airport to be handed over to an American soldier.

Other videos have emerged, purportedly showing mothers throwing their children over the razor wires in hopes that the soldiers would help.

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FEAR of Taliban is so much that Desperate women threw Babies &amp; Little Girls OVER RAZOR WIRE at airport compound asking British soldiers to take them 😭💔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Talibans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Talibans</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taliban?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taliban</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveAfghanWomen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaveAfghanWomen</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wmpkl7Bnj1">pic.twitter.com/Wmpkl7Bnj1</a>
— JAI SHRI PAWAN (@cool_flute) <a href="https://twitter.com/cool_flute/status/1428298535644983298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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These videos, seen this week on social media, highlight Afghans' sense of desperation and fear of what the Taliban's sudden return to power will mean.

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Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/US?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#US</a> Army troops guarding the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a> airport started taking children of Afghans who are not on the list. They can now live any where there is No rule of terror &amp; horror. These children, especially the girls, will have No future in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> under rule of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taliban?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taliban</a>. <a href="https://t.co/Y51ZaE29jt">pic.twitter.com/Y51ZaE29jt</a>
— Babak Taghvaee - Μπάπακ Τακβαίε - بابک تقوایی (@BabakTaghvaee) <a href="https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/1428496327072260097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A chaotic scene has seen thousands of people trying to get into Kabul's airport attempting to reach flights to the west. As a result of the ensuing chaos, several people have been killed or wounded.

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

When asked about the video, UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace said Britain could not evacuate unaccompanied children from Afghanistan. Wallace further stated that the child was passed down the wall while her family was being escorted out.

"We can't just take a minor on their own,"&nbsp;Wallace&nbsp;told Sky News.

In the days since the Taliban took over Kabul, officials have assured Afghans and foreign powers that they will not seek revenge on former enemies or violate the rights of women and girls.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-child-lifted-over-kabul-airport-wall-by-us-soldiers-406985">Watch: Child lifted over Kabul airport wall by US soldiers</a>

They’ve stated that they would respect the rights of women, according to Islamic law.

However, Afghanistan's people are sceptical. Kabul's roads have largely remained empty, with very few people venturing out of their homes. Women remain missing from the scene.

Between 1996 and 2001, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan; girls could not attend school, women could not work, and if they wanted to go out, they had to be accompanied by a male relative.

If someone broke the rules, they were subject to humiliation and public beatings by the Taliban's religious police.

Following recent events at Kabul airport, questions have been raised about foreign nations' responsibility to Afghan refugees fleeing persecution.

Hundreds of migrants have arrived at airports across Europe and beyond, however many more are still waiting, stuck and afraid.

&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of these videos

Courtesy: @cool_flute,&nbsp;@SourceBeijing,&nbsp;@BabakTaghvaee

(With inputs from agencies)

Taliban now controls Afghanistan, this is no secret to the world. Despite the longest war the United States has ever waged, the group seized control of the country with ease.

Taliban now controls Afghanistan, this is no secret to the world. Despite the longest war the United States has ever waged, the group seized control of the country with ease. In the wake of the panic and fear affecting the streets of the Afghan capital, some heart-breaking videos have emerged on social media. Live: Afghanistan crisis-Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn secure users' accounts amid Taliban takeover The videos show helpless Afghan women trying to ensure the safety of their children, some even throwing their children over wired fencing to the departing soldiers. It's been five days since the #Taliban took over #Kabul. NATO forces have said that over 18,000 people have been evacuated so far. But, what is the future of 38 million Afghans, who now live under the Taliban? Mohammed Saleh tells you more pic.twitter.com/fZmXuu8PhE — WION (@WIONews) August 20, 2021 × In one such video, a small girl is seen being lifted over the perimeter fence of the Kabul airport to be handed over to an American soldier. Other videos have emerged, purportedly showing mothers throwing their children over the razor wires in hopes that the soldiers would help. FEAR of Taliban is so much that Desperate women threw Babies & Little Girls OVER RAZOR WIRE at airport compound asking British soldiers to take them 😭💔 #Afghanistan #Talibans #Taliban #SaveAfghanWomen pic.twitter.com/Wmpkl7Bnj1 — JAI SHRI PAWAN (@cool_flute) August 19, 2021 × These videos, seen this week on social media, highlight Afghans' sense of desperation and fear of what the Taliban's sudden return to power will mean. Today, #US Army troops guarding the #Kabul airport started taking children of Afghans who are not on the list. They can now live any where there is No rule of terror & horror. These children, especially the girls, will have No future in #Afghanistan under rule of #Taliban. pic.twitter.com/Y51ZaE29jt — Babak Taghvaee - Μπάπακ Τακβαίε - بابک تقوایی (@BabakTaghvaee) August 19, 2021 × A chaotic scene has seen thousands of people trying to get into Kabul's airport attempting to reach flights to the west. As a result of the ensuing chaos, several people have been killed or wounded. When asked about the video, UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace said Britain could not evacuate unaccompanied children from Afghanistan. Wallace further stated that the child was passed down the wall while her family was being escorted out. "We can't just take a minor on their own," Wallace told Sky News. In the days since the Taliban took over Kabul, officials have assured Afghans and foreign powers that they will not seek revenge on former enemies or violate the rights of women and girls. Also read | Watch: Child lifted over Kabul airport wall by US soldiers They’ve stated that they would respect the rights of women, according to Islamic law. However, Afghanistan's people are sceptical. Kabul's roads have largely remained empty, with very few people venturing out of their homes. Women remain missing from the scene. Between 1996 and 2001, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan; girls could not attend school, women could not work, and if they wanted to go out, they had to be accompanied by a male relative. If someone broke the rules, they were subject to humiliation and public beatings by the Taliban's religious police. Following recent events at Kabul airport, questions have been raised about foreign nations' responsibility to Afghan refugees fleeing persecution. Hundreds of migrants have arrived at airports across Europe and beyond, however many more are still waiting, stuck and afraid. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of these videos Courtesy: @cool_flute, @SourceBeijing, @BabakTaghvaee (With inputs from agencies)

Heartbreaking: Desperate Afghan mothers throw children over Kabul airport fence in bid to escape Taliban

Zaki Anwari, a 19-year-old Afghan national junior team player, died in a fall from a US jet at Kabul airport on Monday, according to Afghan news agency Ariana.

Anwari died after falling from a US Air Force Boeing C-17 plane, according to Ariana, and his death was confirmed by the General Directorate for Sport.

According to previous accounts, two passengers died after falling from the plane.&nbsp;

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-afghanistan-crisis-afghans-are-paying-for-americas-mistakes-406131/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Crowds of people seeking to flee Afghanistan have thronged the airport since Taliban insurgents swept to power on Sunday, many seen trying to board a moving plane.

Thousands of Afghans went to Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday, the day after the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital, seeking to board a flight out of the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Zaki Anwari, a 19-year-old Afghan national junior team player, died in a fall from a US jet at Kabul airport on Monday, according to Afghan news agency Ariana. Anwari died after falling from a US Air Force Boeing C-17 plane, according to Ariana, and his death was confirmed by the General Directorate for Sport.

Zaki Anwari, a 19-year-old Afghan national junior team player, died in a fall from a US jet at Kabul airport on Monday, according to Afghan news agency Ariana. Anwari died after falling from a US Air Force Boeing C-17 plane, according to Ariana, and his death was confirmed by the General Directorate for Sport. According to previous accounts, two passengers died after falling from the plane. Watch: Crowds of people seeking to flee Afghanistan have thronged the airport since Taliban insurgents swept to power on Sunday, many seen trying to board a moving plane. Thousands of Afghans went to Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday, the day after the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital, seeking to board a flight out of the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan national team's footballer died in fall from US plane at Kabul airport: Report

Senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi is said to be in the Afghan capital negotiating with Kabul's political leadership, including Abdullah Abdullah, who once headed the country's negotiating council and former President Hamid Karzai.

That is according to an official familiar with the talks and who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-un-says-world-will-scrutinise-taliban-actions-406158">LIVE Afghanistan crisis: UN says world will 'scrutinise' Taliban actions</a></h2>

Muttaqi was a higher education minister when the Taliban last ruled and he began making contacts with Afghan political leaders even before Afghan President Ashraf Ghani secretly slipped away from the Presidential Palace on the weekend, leaving a devastating vacuum that Taliban who were surrounding the city strode in to fill.

The official says the talks underway in the Afghan capital are aimed at bringing other non-Taliban leaders into the government that Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen has said will be an "inclusive Afghan government."

There is a little indication about the substance of the talks, but Shaheen earlier told The Associated Press that a government will be announced after negotiations with non-Taliban leaders are completed.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/doomed-from-start-us-invasion-of-afghanistan-was-a-bad-idea-says-last-soviet-leader-gorbachev-406256">Doomed from start: US invasion of Afghanistan was a 'bad idea', says last Soviet leader Gorbachev</a>

Afghans familiar with the talks say some rounds have gone late into the night and have been underway since soon after Ghani's departure.&nbsp;

Senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi is said to be in the Afghan capital negotiating with Kabul's political leadership, including Abdullah Abdullah, who once headed the country's negotiating council and former President Hamid Karzai.

Senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi is said to be in the Afghan capital negotiating with Kabul's political leadership, including Abdullah Abdullah, who once headed the country's negotiating council and former President Hamid Karzai. That is according to an official familiar with the talks and who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. LIVE Afghanistan crisis: UN says world will 'scrutinise' Taliban actions Muttaqi was a higher education minister when the Taliban last ruled and he began making contacts with Afghan political leaders even before Afghan President Ashraf Ghani secretly slipped away from the Presidential Palace on the weekend, leaving a devastating vacuum that Taliban who were surrounding the city strode in to fill. The official says the talks underway in the Afghan capital are aimed at bringing other non-Taliban leaders into the government that Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen has said will be an "inclusive Afghan government." There is a little indication about the substance of the talks, but Shaheen earlier told The Associated Press that a government will be announced after negotiations with non-Taliban leaders are completed. Also read | Doomed from start: US invasion of Afghanistan was a 'bad idea', says last Soviet leader Gorbachev Afghans familiar with the talks say some rounds have gone late into the night and have been underway since soon after Ghani's departure.

Taliban leader reported to be in Kabul for talks

The Taliban declared that the war in Afghanistan was over and that all of their opponents would be pardoned during their first press conference since seizing control of Kabul from the Western-backed government.&nbsp;

“We don’t want any internal or external enemies,” the Taliban’s main spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

The Taliban pledged a secure Afghanistan as part of a public relations campaign aimed at persuading world powers and a fearful population that they have reformed. 
 
Mujahid promised the Taliban would honour women's rights, but within the norms of Islamic law.

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Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the group seeks no revenge from anyone. 
 
In its first press conference since the sweeping takeover of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>, Taliban's <a href="https://twitter.com/Zabehulah_M33?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Zabehulah_M33</a> says they have "emancipated" the nation from foreigners after 20 years of struggle. <a href="https://t.co/eXuzPbMfzM">pic.twitter.com/eXuzPbMfzM</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1427674758359965699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Taliban have attempted to present themselves as more moderate than when they established a harsh rule in the late 1990s, following a rapid advance throughout Afghanistan that saw major cities fall to the militants without a struggle.&nbsp;

The organisation had previously declared a "amnesty" across Afghanistan and asked women to join its administration, in an attempt to calm anxieties in a tense capital city where hundreds had flocked to the city's international airport in a desperate attempt to flee the day before. 
 
The capital of Kabul remained quiet for another day as the Taliban patrolled its streets and many residents stayed home, fearful after the insurgents' takeover saw prisons emptied and armories looted. Many women have expressed dread that the two-decade Western experiment to expand their rights and remake Afghanistan would not survive the resurgent Taliban.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Taliban declared that the war in Afghanistan was over and that all of their opponents would be pardoned during their first press conference since seizing control of Kabul from the Western-backed government.

The Taliban declared that the war in Afghanistan was over and that all of their opponents would be pardoned during their first press conference since seizing control of Kabul from the Western-backed government. “We don’t want any internal or external enemies,” the Taliban’s main spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. The Taliban pledged a secure Afghanistan as part of a public relations campaign aimed at persuading world powers and a fearful population that they have reformed. Mujahid promised the Taliban would honour women's rights, but within the norms of Islamic law. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the group seeks no revenge from anyone. In its first press conference since the sweeping takeover of #Afghanistan, Taliban's @Zabehulah_M33 says they have "emancipated" the nation from foreigners after 20 years of struggle. pic.twitter.com/eXuzPbMfzM — WION (@WIONews) August 17, 2021 × The Taliban have attempted to present themselves as more moderate than when they established a harsh rule in the late 1990s, following a rapid advance throughout Afghanistan that saw major cities fall to the militants without a struggle. The organisation had previously declared a "amnesty" across Afghanistan and asked women to join its administration, in an attempt to calm anxieties in a tense capital city where hundreds had flocked to the city's international airport in a desperate attempt to flee the day before. The capital of Kabul remained quiet for another day as the Taliban patrolled its streets and many residents stayed home, fearful after the insurgents' takeover saw prisons emptied and armories looted. Many women have expressed dread that the two-decade Western experiment to expand their rights and remake Afghanistan would not survive the resurgent Taliban. (With inputs from agencies)

In first press conference, Taliban say they seek no ‘revenge’, will respect women’s rights

Yasmin Nigar Khan, the great-granddaughter of late Afghan political leader Abdul Ghaffar Khan, often known as "Frontier Gandhi," has expressed concern over the country's ongoing violence and the fate of vulnerable populations such as women and children.

"During the previous Taliban rule, they kidnapped young widows to marry them off to their members. They don't want girls to study or go to school. What they describe as Islamic law is a travesty of the religion. Don't girls study in madrassas? Even in Islamic countries, women are encouraged to get a modern education and work alongside men. The Taliban want to take women back to the medieval age, " she said. 
 
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-say-they-seek-no-revenge-in-press-conference-will-respect-womens-rights-406379">Taliban say they seek no ‘revenge’ in press conference, will respect women’s rights</a>

Yasmin Nigar Khan, the president of the All India Pakhtoon Jirga-e-Hind, the community's highest body in the country, lives in central Kolkata.

The state's 1,000 or so Pakhtoons, as well as lakhs of others who have lived in other areas of the country for centuries, have no hope of going home, but practically everyone has family in Afghanistan or northwestern Pakistan, she said. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-vice-president-amrullah-saleh-declares-himself-as-caretaker-president-406357" hreflang="en">Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President</a>

"The leaders left the country, but the common people, the poor, the women, the children are making sacrifices. They should be looked after, " she said.

She said the Taliban can not be trusted and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help Afghanistan.

On Sunday, the Taliban stormed Kabul and took control of the presidential palace.

Fears of a return to the Taliban's violent rule, as well as the danger of retaliatory killings, have gripped the Afghan cities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Yasmin Nigar Khan, the great-granddaughter of late Afghan political leader Abdul Ghaffar Khan, often known as "Frontier Gandhi," has expressed concern over the country's ongoing violence and the fate of vulnerable populations such as women and children.

Yasmin Nigar Khan, the great-granddaughter of late Afghan political leader Abdul Ghaffar Khan, often known as "Frontier Gandhi," has expressed concern over the country's ongoing violence and the fate of vulnerable populations such as women and children. "During the previous Taliban rule, they kidnapped young widows to marry them off to their members. They don't want girls to study or go to school. What they describe as Islamic law is a travesty of the religion. Don't girls study in madrassas? Even in Islamic countries, women are encouraged to get a modern education and work alongside men. The Taliban want to take women back to the medieval age, " she said. Also Read: Taliban say they seek no ‘revenge’ in press conference, will respect women’s rights Yasmin Nigar Khan, the president of the All India Pakhtoon Jirga-e-Hind, the community's highest body in the country, lives in central Kolkata. The state's 1,000 or so Pakhtoons, as well as lakhs of others who have lived in other areas of the country for centuries, have no hope of going home, but practically everyone has family in Afghanistan or northwestern Pakistan, she said. Also read | Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President "The leaders left the country, but the common people, the poor, the women, the children are making sacrifices. They should be looked after, " she said. She said the Taliban can not be trusted and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help Afghanistan. On Sunday, the Taliban stormed Kabul and took control of the presidential palace. Fears of a return to the Taliban's violent rule, as well as the danger of retaliatory killings, have gripped the Afghan cities. (With inputs from agencies)

Abdul Ghaffar Khan’s granddaughter says Taliban want to take women back to the medieval age

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses a new challenge for big US tech companies on handling content created by a group considered to be terrorists by some world governments.

Social media giant&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;confirmed on Monday that it designates the Taliban as a terrorist group and bans it and content supporting it from its platforms.

But Taliban members have reportedly continued to use&nbsp;Facebook's end-to-end encrypted messaging service WhatsApp to communicate directly with Afghanis despite the company prohibiting it under rules against dangerous organisations.

A&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;Inc spokesperson said the company was closely monitoring the situation in the country and that WhatsApp would take action on any accounts found to be linked with sanctioned organizations in Afghanistan, which could include account removal.

On Twitter Inc, Taliban spokesmen with hundreds of thousands of followers have tweeted updates during the country's takeover.

Asked about the Taliban's use of the platform, the company pointed to its policies against violent organizations and hateful conduct but did not answer Reuters questions about how it makes its classifications. Twitter's rules say it does not allow groups that promote terrorism or violence against civilians.

The Taliban's return has raised fears it will crackdown on freedom of speech and human rights, especially women's rights, and that the country could become a haven once again for global terrorism.

Taliban officials have issued statements saying they want peaceful international relations and have promised to protect Afghans.

Major social media firms this year made high-profile decisions on handling sitting world leaders and groups in power.

These include controversial blocks of former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> for inciting violence around the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and bans on Myanmar's military amid a coup in the country.

Facebook, which was long criticized for failing to combat hate speech in Myanmar, said the coup escalated risks of offline harm and its history of human rights violations contributed to the ban on the ruling military or Tatmadaw.

The companies, which have come under fire from global lawmakers and regulators for their outsized political and economic influence, often depend on state designations or official international recognitions to determine who is allowed on their sites.

These also help determine who might be verified, allowed official state accounts or may receive special treatment for rule-breaking speech due to newsworthiness or public interest loopholes.

However, the differences among the tech companies' stances suggest the approach is not uniform.

Alphabet Inc's YouTube asked whether it has a ban or restrictions on the Taliban, declined to comment but said the video-sharing service relies on governments to define "Foreign Terrorist Organizations" (FTO) to guide the site's enforcement of its rules against violent criminal groups.

YouTube pointed to the US State Department's list of FTO's of which the Taliban is not a member. The US instead classifies the Taliban as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," which freezes the US assets of those blacklisted and bars Americans from working with them.

Complicating matters further, though most countries show little sign they will recognize the group diplomatically, the Taliban's position on the world stage may yet shift as they cement control.

"The Taliban is somewhat an accepted player at an international relations level," said Mohammed Sinan Siyech, a researcher on security in South Asia and doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh, pointing to talks China and the United States have held with the group.

"If that recognition comes in, then for a company like <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/twitter">Twitter</a> or&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;to make a subjective decision that this group is bad and we will not host them poses complications."

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses a new challenge for big US tech companies on handling content created by a group considered to be terrorists by some world governments.

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses a new challenge for big US tech companies on handling content created by a group considered to be terrorists by some world governments. Social media giant Facebook confirmed on Monday that it designates the Taliban as a terrorist group and bans it and content supporting it from its platforms. But Taliban members have reportedly continued to use Facebook's end-to-end encrypted messaging service WhatsApp to communicate directly with Afghanis despite the company prohibiting it under rules against dangerous organisations. A Facebook Inc spokesperson said the company was closely monitoring the situation in the country and that WhatsApp would take action on any accounts found to be linked with sanctioned organizations in Afghanistan, which could include account removal. On Twitter Inc, Taliban spokesmen with hundreds of thousands of followers have tweeted updates during the country's takeover. Asked about the Taliban's use of the platform, the company pointed to its policies against violent organizations and hateful conduct but did not answer Reuters questions about how it makes its classifications. Twitter's rules say it does not allow groups that promote terrorism or violence against civilians. The Taliban's return has raised fears it will crackdown on freedom of speech and human rights, especially women's rights, and that the country could become a haven once again for global terrorism. Taliban officials have issued statements saying they want peaceful international relations and have promised to protect Afghans. Major social media firms this year made high-profile decisions on handling sitting world leaders and groups in power. These include controversial blocks of former US President Donald Trump for inciting violence around the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and bans on Myanmar's military amid a coup in the country. Facebook, which was long criticized for failing to combat hate speech in Myanmar, said the coup escalated risks of offline harm and its history of human rights violations contributed to the ban on the ruling military or Tatmadaw. The companies, which have come under fire from global lawmakers and regulators for their outsized political and economic influence, often depend on state designations or official international recognitions to determine who is allowed on their sites. These also help determine who might be verified, allowed official state accounts or may receive special treatment for rule-breaking speech due to newsworthiness or public interest loopholes. However, the differences among the tech companies' stances suggest the approach is not uniform. Alphabet Inc's YouTube asked whether it has a ban or restrictions on the Taliban, declined to comment but said the video-sharing service relies on governments to define "Foreign Terrorist Organizations" (FTO) to guide the site's enforcement of its rules against violent criminal groups. YouTube pointed to the US State Department's list of FTO's of which the Taliban is not a member. The US instead classifies the Taliban as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," which freezes the US assets of those blacklisted and bars Americans from working with them. Complicating matters further, though most countries show little sign they will recognize the group diplomatically, the Taliban's position on the world stage may yet shift as they cement control. "The Taliban is somewhat an accepted player at an international relations level," said Mohammed Sinan Siyech, a researcher on security in South Asia and doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh, pointing to talks China and the United States have held with the group. "If that recognition comes in, then for a company like Twitter or Facebook to make a subjective decision that this group is bad and we will not host them poses complications."

Facebook bans Taliban and its supporting content, designates it as a terrorist group

In just a month, the Taliban took over Afghanistan after it had been run by the West for 20 years.

Despite the many trillions of dollars the US spent and the significant time, they spent in Afghanistan - 20 years since 9/11 - everything has been nullified by the Taliban assault on the country.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-burqa-not-mandatory-for-women-hijab-is-says-taliban-406158">LIVE Afghanistan crisis — Burqa not mandatory for women, hijab is, says Taliban</a></h2>

The turnaround occurred as the United States began the process of withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, its longest conflict to date.&nbsp;

The majority of the money spent on this two-decade war was borrowed, and now, generations of Americans will be saddled with the costs of paying it off.

According to estimates by the Costs of War Project at Brown University,&nbsp;approximately $2 trillion has been spent on the war in Afghanistan. As part of this total, $800 billion was directly funded&nbsp;while the Afghan army's&nbsp;training accounts for another&nbsp;$83 billion.

Based on the figures, the amount spent to keep the Taliban at bay is greater than the collective net worth of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and the 30 wealthiest billionaires in America.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/all-military-and-civilian-flights-halted-at-kabul-airport-pentagon-406126" hreflang="en">All military and civilian flights halted at Kabul airport: Pentagon</a>

By 2050, the United States will be paying interest of $6.5 trillion on the Afghan war debt, according to this report from Brown University. In other words, it will pinch the American average household since it translates to $20,000 for every single American.

As far as the number of lives lost is concerned, the price is even higher. 2,448 US soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban (as of April this year) and nearly 4,000 civilian contractors have lost their lives as well. Additionally, over 66,000 Afghan&nbsp;military and police personnel&nbsp;have died in the last 20 years.

In addition to the military cost, there is also the civilian cost of 47,245. The university study estimates that 51,191 Taliban and other opposition fighters have also been killed in the war.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-vice-president-amrullah-saleh-declares-himself-as-caretaker-president-406357" hreflang="en">Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President</a>

For approximately 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, the US has also devoted substantial funds toward health care, disability, burials, and other costs.&nbsp;

In just a month, the Taliban took over Afghanistan after it had been run by the West for 20 years. Despite the many trillions of dollars the US spent and the significant time, they spent in Afghanistan - 20 years since 9/11 - everything has been nullified by the Taliban assault on the country.

In just a month, the Taliban took over Afghanistan after it had been run by the West for 20 years. Despite the many trillions of dollars the US spent and the significant time, they spent in Afghanistan - 20 years since 9/11 - everything has been nullified by the Taliban assault on the country. LIVE Afghanistan crisis — Burqa not mandatory for women, hijab is, says Taliban The turnaround occurred as the United States began the process of withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, its longest conflict to date. The majority of the money spent on this two-decade war was borrowed, and now, generations of Americans will be saddled with the costs of paying it off. According to estimates by the Costs of War Project at Brown University, approximately $2 trillion has been spent on the war in Afghanistan. As part of this total, $800 billion was directly funded while the Afghan army's training accounts for another $83 billion. Based on the figures, the amount spent to keep the Taliban at bay is greater than the collective net worth of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and the 30 wealthiest billionaires in America. Also read | All military and civilian flights halted at Kabul airport: Pentagon By 2050, the United States will be paying interest of $6.5 trillion on the Afghan war debt, according to this report from Brown University. In other words, it will pinch the American average household since it translates to $20,000 for every single American. As far as the number of lives lost is concerned, the price is even higher. 2,448 US soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban (as of April this year) and nearly 4,000 civilian contractors have lost their lives as well. Additionally, over 66,000 Afghan military and police personnel have died in the last 20 years. In addition to the military cost, there is also the civilian cost of 47,245. The university study estimates that 51,191 Taliban and other opposition fighters have also been killed in the war. Also read | Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President For approximately 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, the US has also devoted substantial funds toward health care, disability, burials, and other costs.

Afghanistan: Two-decade war that cost Americans $20,000 each

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government is considering a "bespoke arrangement" for Afghan refugees that will be announced soon.

New resettlement schemes will focus on making the UK more accessible to those most in need, such as women and girls. While Raab did not confirm how many refugees would be admitted, he called the UK 'an open-hearted nation'.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-burqa-not-mandatory-for-women-hijab-is-says-taliban-406158">LIVE Afghanistan crisis — Burqa not mandatory for women, hijab is, says Taliban</a></h2>

Speaking to BBC, Raab stated that the UK has had always been a country in which people fleeing persecution could find refuge.&nbsp;He added that the prime minister and the home secretary would announce the details of the new resettlement program in due course.

On Wednesday, the British Parliament will return from its summer recess to debate the war in Afghanistan.

According to former Conservative minister for defence, Tobias Ellwood&nbsp;the fall of Afghanistan will spur a mass migration on a scale not seen since the end of World War II.

New resettlement programme is likely to follow a similar model to the one used for Syrian refugees,&nbsp;which since its launch&nbsp;in 2014, has&nbsp;resettled around 20,000 refugees from Syria in the UK.

Over 3,300 Afghan interpreters, staff and their families have already been accepted into the UK for resettlement, the Home Office reported on Monday. According to them, the decision on how many Afghan refugees to accept would be based on the capacity of local authorities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/all-military-and-civilian-flights-halted-at-kabul-airport-pentagon-406126" hreflang="en">All military and civilian flights halted at Kabul airport: Pentagon</a>

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced Monday that an additional 200 British troops would deploy to Kabul to assist in evacuating British citizens and Afghan citizens eligible for resettlement in the UK.

In addition, MoD officials say more troops will be deployed to nations in the region and ready to go to Afghanistan if necessary, and additional troops will be kept on standby in the UK.

Most Afghans who qualify for relocation to the UK previously worked in frontline military roles for the British government.&nbsp;

In addition to interpreters and cultural advisers, embassy staff are also involved in this group. Ministry of Defence also considers those that are at high or imminent risk eligible.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-vice-president-amrullah-saleh-declares-himself-as-caretaker-president-406357" hreflang="en">Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President</a>

As many as 350 more British nationals and Afghan employees are expected to leave the country in the next 24 hours - and if the situation settles, the number could increase "quite significantly."

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government is considering a "bespoke arrangement" for Afghan refugees that will be announced soon. New resettlement schemes will focus on making the UK more accessible to those most in need, such as women and girls.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government is considering a "bespoke arrangement" for Afghan refugees that will be announced soon. New resettlement schemes will focus on making the UK more accessible to those most in need, such as women and girls. While Raab did not confirm how many refugees would be admitted, he called the UK 'an open-hearted nation'. LIVE Afghanistan crisis — Burqa not mandatory for women, hijab is, says Taliban Speaking to BBC, Raab stated that the UK has had always been a country in which people fleeing persecution could find refuge. He added that the prime minister and the home secretary would announce the details of the new resettlement program in due course. On Wednesday, the British Parliament will return from its summer recess to debate the war in Afghanistan. According to former Conservative minister for defence, Tobias Ellwood the fall of Afghanistan will spur a mass migration on a scale not seen since the end of World War II. New resettlement programme is likely to follow a similar model to the one used for Syrian refugees, which since its launch in 2014, has resettled around 20,000 refugees from Syria in the UK. Over 3,300 Afghan interpreters, staff and their families have already been accepted into the UK for resettlement, the Home Office reported on Monday. According to them, the decision on how many Afghan refugees to accept would be based on the capacity of local authorities. Also read | All military and civilian flights halted at Kabul airport: Pentagon The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced Monday that an additional 200 British troops would deploy to Kabul to assist in evacuating British citizens and Afghan citizens eligible for resettlement in the UK. In addition, MoD officials say more troops will be deployed to nations in the region and ready to go to Afghanistan if necessary, and additional troops will be kept on standby in the UK. Most Afghans who qualify for relocation to the UK previously worked in frontline military roles for the British government. In addition to interpreters and cultural advisers, embassy staff are also involved in this group. Ministry of Defence also considers those that are at high or imminent risk eligible. Also read | Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President As many as 350 more British nationals and Afghan employees are expected to leave the country in the next 24 hours - and if the situation settles, the number could increase "quite significantly."

UK considering a resettlement programme for Afghans: Dominic Raab

The interim head of Afghanistan's central bank has left as the country's currency plummets to new lows following the Taliban's takeover.

According to Bloomberg, the Afghani dropped 1.7 percent to 83.5 per dollar on Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of decline.

Ajmal Ahmady on Twitter said, "Currency spiked from a stable 81 to almost 100, then back to 86...That was one day before the fall of Kabul. "&nbsp;

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7/Currency spiked from a stable 81 to almost 100 then back to 86. I held meetings on Saturday to reassure banks and money exchangers to calm them down. I can’t believe that was one day before Kabul fell
— Ajmal Ahmady (@aahmady) <a href="https://twitter.com/aahmady/status/1427265082048667650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Ahmady boarded a military jet at Kabul airport, where hundreds of people were trying to flee the government's collapse due to the Taliban's fast territorial progress.

According to Ahmady, there was no evacuation plan, and President Ashraf Ghani's leaving without forming a transitional administration added to the confusion.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The interim head of Afghanistan's central bank has left as the country's currency plummets to new lows following the Taliban's takeover. According to Bloomberg, the Afghani dropped 1.

The interim head of Afghanistan's central bank has left as the country's currency plummets to new lows following the Taliban's takeover. According to Bloomberg, the Afghani dropped 1.7 percent to 83.5 per dollar on Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of decline. Ajmal Ahmady on Twitter said, "Currency spiked from a stable 81 to almost 100, then back to 86...That was one day before the fall of Kabul. " 7/Currency spiked from a stable 81 to almost 100 then back to 86. I held meetings on Saturday to reassure banks and money exchangers to calm them down. I can’t believe that was one day before Kabul fell — Ajmal Ahmady (@aahmady) August 16, 2021 × Ahmady boarded a military jet at Kabul airport, where hundreds of people were trying to flee the government's collapse due to the Taliban's fast territorial progress. According to Ahmady, there was no evacuation plan, and President Ashraf Ghani's leaving without forming a transitional administration added to the confusion. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan's currency drops to a record low as Taliban take over

As the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/women-journalists-fear-for-life-in-taliban-ruled-afghanistan-406103">Taliban </a>set up checkpoints at Kabul, people flooded the Hamid Karzai international airport as reports claimed people clung to the top of aircraft to get out of Afganistan.

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Three Kabul residents who were trying to leave the country by hiding next to the tire or wing of an American plane, fell on the rooftop of local people. They lost their lives due to the terrible conditions in Kabul. <a href="https://t.co/Cj7xXE4vbx">pic.twitter.com/Cj7xXE4vbx</a>
— Tariq Majidi (@TariqMajidi) <a href="https://twitter.com/TariqMajidi/status/1427178021652291586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The US troops reportedly used Apache helicopters to chase away Afghans swarming the airport as they made a desperate attempt to escape the Taliban.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-us-takes-charge-of-air-traffic-at-kabul-airport-as-taliban-consolidates-406158">Also Read: Live Afghanistan crisis - as it happens</a>

The Pentagon had earlier closed all military and civilian flights at Kabul airport amid the chaotic scenes as reports said two armed Afghan men were killed.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-afghanistan-crisis-afghans-are-paying-for-americas-mistakes-406131/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The US is seeking to evacuate several embassy personnel including and as many as 30,000 Afghans who are currently fleeing the new regime.&nbsp;

Reports claimed a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III safely evacuated some 640 Afghans from Kabul which is said to be the highest number of people ever flown on the cargo plane.

The chaotic scenes echoed in the US House as Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said: "Afghanistan is lost ... every terrorist around the world is cheering."

According to footage released by Tolo news, people were seen clinging to a&nbsp;US military transport plane as it taxied on the runway amid the chaos at the airport.

Reuters quoting eyewitnesses added that five people were killed at the airport, however, it is unclear how they died.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden arrived in Washington on Monday cutting short his vacation to address the nation.

The US President said: "I am president of the United States of America and the buck stops with me," adding,"I stand squarely behind my decision."

"After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces," Biden asserted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Agencies)

 
&nbsp;

As the Taliban set up checkpoints at Kabul, people flooded the Hamid Karzai international airport as reports claimed people clung to the top of aircraft to get out of Afganistan.

As the Taliban set up checkpoints at Kabul, people flooded the Hamid Karzai international airport as reports claimed people clung to the top of aircraft to get out of Afganistan. Three Kabul residents who were trying to leave the country by hiding next to the tire or wing of an American plane, fell on the rooftop of local people. They lost their lives due to the terrible conditions in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/Cj7xXE4vbx — Tariq Majidi (@TariqMajidi) August 16, 2021 × The US troops reportedly used Apache helicopters to chase away Afghans swarming the airport as they made a desperate attempt to escape the Taliban. Also Read: Live Afghanistan crisis - as it happens The Pentagon had earlier closed all military and civilian flights at Kabul airport amid the chaotic scenes as reports said two armed Afghan men were killed. Watch: The US is seeking to evacuate several embassy personnel including and as many as 30,000 Afghans who are currently fleeing the new regime. Reports claimed a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III safely evacuated some 640 Afghans from Kabul which is said to be the highest number of people ever flown on the cargo plane. The chaotic scenes echoed in the US House as Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said: "Afghanistan is lost ... every terrorist around the world is cheering." According to footage released by Tolo news, people were seen clinging to a US military transport plane as it taxied on the runway amid the chaos at the airport. Reuters quoting eyewitnesses added that five people were killed at the airport, however, it is unclear how they died. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden arrived in Washington on Monday cutting short his vacation to address the nation. The US President said: "I am president of the United States of America and the buck stops with me," adding,"I stand squarely behind my decision." "After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces," Biden asserted. (With inputs from Agencies)

640 Afghans in US cargo plane; Afghans fall off flying plane in desperate attempt to flee Taliban - Watch

A day after the Taliban took control of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/640-afghans-in-us-cargo-plane-afghans-fall-off-flying-plane-in-desperate-attempt-to-flee-taliban-watch-406167">Kabul</a>, videos appearing to show&nbsp;Taliban militants atop crashing cars have gone went viral on social media.

A Taliban militant was&nbsp;purportedly seen&nbsp;with a gun while sitting on the bumper car. In another video, the Taliban fighters appeared to take rounds in&nbsp;merry-go-round riding play horses amid chaos in Kabul.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a> amusement park <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> <a href="https://t.co/ELK0GjrwAm">pic.twitter.com/ELK0GjrwAm</a>
— Hamid Shalizi (@HamidShalizi) <a href="https://twitter.com/HamidShalizi/status/1427341653916983305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Taliban's latest exploits come even as the Afghans fled to the Hamid Karzai international airport in a desperate bid to escape from the new leadership in Afghanistan.

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Another one <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a> <a href="https://t.co/dLTRP2KZOX">pic.twitter.com/dLTRP2KZOX</a>
— Hamid Shalizi (@HamidShalizi) <a href="https://twitter.com/HamidShalizi/status/1427348052491264004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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US officials on Monday evening had closed the airport in Kabul as hundreds of Afghans stood at the tarmac with several seen chasing US military planes as it left the airport.

Videos posted on social networks showed scenes of panic and fear in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/taliban-have-won-rise-and-fall-of-afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-405867">Kabul</a> as people huddled together at the airport desperate to leave the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-india-brings-back-ambassador-embassy-staff-from-kabul-406158">LIVE Afghanistan crisis: As it happens</a>

Although the Pentagon had announced earlier it was making preparations for&nbsp;mass evacuation, Taliban's abrupt entry into the Afghan capital led to panic in the city.

Amid the confusion at the airport, a crisis cell has been set up to organise the reception of Afghan refugees on US bases. US officials said at least 2,000 Afghans have already been airlifted.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-kabul-chaos-shocking-videos-and-photos-from-afghanistan-after-taliban-takeover-406056">WATCH - Kabul chaos: Shocking videos and photos from Afghanistan after Taliban takeover</a>

The US intends to transport thousands of interpreters and their families who helped the US forces in Afghanistan in the past 20 years.

The US reopened the airport on Tuesday morning after it was closed for several hours due to breakdown in security on the tarmac disrupting evacuation efforts as a US C-17 transport aircraft landed with US Marines aboard.

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the&nbsp;videos

Video courtesy -Twitter:&nbsp;@HamidShalizi

(With inputs from Agencies)

A day after the Taliban took control of Kabul, videos appearing to show Taliban militants atop crashing cars have gone went viral on social media. A Taliban militant was purportedly seen with a gun while sitting on the bumper car.

A day after the Taliban took control of Kabul, videos appearing to show Taliban militants atop crashing cars have gone went viral on social media. A Taliban militant was purportedly seen with a gun while sitting on the bumper car. In another video, the Taliban fighters appeared to take rounds in merry-go-round riding play horses amid chaos in Kabul. #Kabul amusement park #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/ELK0GjrwAm — Hamid Shalizi (@HamidShalizi) August 16, 2021 × Taliban's latest exploits come even as the Afghans fled to the Hamid Karzai international airport in a desperate bid to escape from the new leadership in Afghanistan. Another one #Kabul pic.twitter.com/dLTRP2KZOX — Hamid Shalizi (@HamidShalizi) August 16, 2021 × US officials on Monday evening had closed the airport in Kabul as hundreds of Afghans stood at the tarmac with several seen chasing US military planes as it left the airport. Videos posted on social networks showed scenes of panic and fear in Kabul as people huddled together at the airport desperate to leave the country. LIVE Afghanistan crisis: As it happens Although the Pentagon had announced earlier it was making preparations for mass evacuation, Taliban's abrupt entry into the Afghan capital led to panic in the city. Amid the confusion at the airport, a crisis cell has been set up to organise the reception of Afghan refugees on US bases. US officials said at least 2,000 Afghans have already been airlifted. WATCH - Kabul chaos: Shocking videos and photos from Afghanistan after Taliban takeover The US intends to transport thousands of interpreters and their families who helped the US forces in Afghanistan in the past 20 years. The US reopened the airport on Tuesday morning after it was closed for several hours due to breakdown in security on the tarmac disrupting evacuation efforts as a US C-17 transport aircraft landed with US Marines aboard. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the videos Video courtesy -Twitter: @HamidShalizi (With inputs from Agencies)

WATCH : Fun amid chaos - Taliban fighters ride in bumper cars with guns; ride horses in merry-go-round in Kabul- Watch

As chaotic scenes at Kabul airport on Monday went viral across the world, satellite images showed thousands of Afghans attempting to board flights in a desperate bid to flee the capital as the Taliban took control of Kabul.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/satellite-images-show-crowd-at-kabul-airport-amid-talibans-capture-of-kabul-406243/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

US officials had closed the Kabul airport on Monday evening as Afghans crowded the main tarmac at Hamid Karzai international airport, however, it was opened on Tuesday as the US and French nationals began leaving Afghanistan.

<img alt="Satellite image of Kabul airport" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f94db49b-cca6-42e9-a4cd-ed3ff7e5c09e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Sat2.JPG" />

Satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies on Monday at approximately 10:30 am (local time) showed people at the airport as US military planes taxied on the runway with several Afghans following the plane in desperation.

Dramatic photo of 640 Afghans crammed into a US Air Force C-17 military plane with men, women and children created waves on social media on Tuesday.

The chaos at Kabul airport led German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to declare the images "shameful".

"The failure of the years-long efforts to build a stable and viable society in Afghanistan raises fundamental questions for the past and future of our foreign policy and military engagement," Steinmeier said.

<img alt="Satellite image of Kabul airport" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1c11cf74-597c-490d-83b9-9b2fa07adca5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Sat1.JPG" />

"The images of desperation at Kabul airport are shameful for the political West," the German president said as nationals began pulling out of Afghanistan.

Reports say Iran and Turkey are bracing for a refugee influx after witnessing chaos in Kabul on Monday. US President Joe Biden however defended his move saying the Afghan government was given "every chance to determine their own future".

"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," the US president said in a televised address.

The United States has reportedly sent at least 6,000 troops to ensure the safe evacuation of embassy officials although scenes of Afghans clinging to the transport planes led to widespread criticism of the Biden administration.

(With inputs from Agencies)

&nbsp;

As chaotic scenes at Kabul airport on Monday went viral across the world, satellite images showed thousands of Afghans attempting to board flights in a desperate bid to flee the capital as the Taliban took control of Kabul.

As chaotic scenes at Kabul airport on Monday went viral across the world, satellite images showed thousands of Afghans attempting to board flights in a desperate bid to flee the capital as the Taliban took control of Kabul. Watch: US officials had closed the Kabul airport on Monday evening as Afghans crowded the main tarmac at Hamid Karzai international airport, however, it was opened on Tuesday as the US and French nationals began leaving Afghanistan. Satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies on Monday at approximately 10:30 am (local time) showed people at the airport as US military planes taxied on the runway with several Afghans following the plane in desperation. Dramatic photo of 640 Afghans crammed into a US Air Force C-17 military plane with men, women and children created waves on social media on Tuesday. The chaos at Kabul airport led German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to declare the images "shameful". "The failure of the years-long efforts to build a stable and viable society in Afghanistan raises fundamental questions for the past and future of our foreign policy and military engagement," Steinmeier said. "The images of desperation at Kabul airport are shameful for the political West," the German president said as nationals began pulling out of Afghanistan. Reports say Iran and Turkey are bracing for a refugee influx after witnessing chaos in Kabul on Monday. US President Joe Biden however defended his move saying the Afghan government was given "every chance to determine their own future". "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," the US president said in a televised address. The United States has reportedly sent at least 6,000 troops to ensure the safe evacuation of embassy officials although scenes of Afghans clinging to the transport planes led to widespread criticism of the Biden administration. (With inputs from Agencies)

WATCH - Satellite images show chaos at Kabul airport after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

Former USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who oversaw the withdrawal of Soviet Union forces from Afghanistan in 1989 after Moscow's failed decade-long campaign there, on Tuesday said that NATO's deployment to the country had been doomed from the beginning.

Talking to the&nbsp;RIA Novosti news agency,&nbsp;Gorbachev said that "from the very start (the US invasion) was a bad idea, although Russia initially supported it,".

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"Failure should have been admitted earlier," 90-year-old Gorbachev said.&nbsp;

"Now it is important to learn from the situation and at least not repeat such mistakes," he added.

Taking advantage of US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan, Taliban militants completed a military takeover of the country on Sunday.&nbsp;

In 2001, after the September 11 attacks, the US invaded Afghanistan following the Taliban refusal to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.&nbsp;

Similarly, conducted by the Soviet Union, the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 was aimed at supporting an Afghan communist government at odds with Muslim guerrilla fighters.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/guantanamo-ex-inmates-emerge-as-key-players-in-talibans-victory-in-afghanistan-406238" hreflang="en">Guantanamo ex-inmates emerge as key players in Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan&nbsp;</a>

Soon after coming into power in 1985, Gorbachev formally ended Soviet involvement in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Soviet presence in Afghanistan at a time when the Soviet Union was experiencing what turned out to be its last days was perceived by Gorbachev as a political mistake wasting precious resources.

After Moscow withdrew its main forces from Afghanistan, the Soviet-backed regime survived for three years, but never recovered from a Russian decision&nbsp;to cut off aid to them.&nbsp;The Soviet Union collapsed in 1992 and the regime later that year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-airport-chaotic-scenes-are-shameful-for-the-west-says-german-president-406240" hreflang="en">Kabul airport chaotic scenes are 'shameful for the West', says German president</a>

Over the course of a decade, as many as two million Afghans were killed by Soviet troops in their Afghanistan conflict. Additionally, seven million Afghans were forced from their homes. The Soviet Union also lost approximately 14,000 soldiers.&nbsp;

It was fighters of the anti-Soviet Mujahideen who helped to establish the Taliban in the early 1990s.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Former USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who oversaw the withdrawal of Soviet Union forces from Afghanistan in 1989 after Moscow's failed decade-long campaign there, on Tuesday said that NATO's deployment to the country had been doomed from the beginning.

Former USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who oversaw the withdrawal of Soviet Union forces from Afghanistan in 1989 after Moscow's failed decade-long campaign there, on Tuesday said that NATO's deployment to the country had been doomed from the beginning. Talking to the RIA Novosti news agency, Gorbachev said that "from the very start (the US invasion) was a bad idea, although Russia initially supported it,". LIVE Afghanistan crisis: India brings back ambassador, embassy staff from Kabul "Failure should have been admitted earlier," 90-year-old Gorbachev said. "Now it is important to learn from the situation and at least not repeat such mistakes," he added. Taking advantage of US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan, Taliban militants completed a military takeover of the country on Sunday. In 2001, after the September 11 attacks, the US invaded Afghanistan following the Taliban refusal to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Similarly, conducted by the Soviet Union, the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 was aimed at supporting an Afghan communist government at odds with Muslim guerrilla fighters. Also read | Guantanamo ex-inmates emerge as key players in Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan Soon after coming into power in 1985, Gorbachev formally ended Soviet involvement in Afghanistan. Soviet presence in Afghanistan at a time when the Soviet Union was experiencing what turned out to be its last days was perceived by Gorbachev as a political mistake wasting precious resources. After Moscow withdrew its main forces from Afghanistan, the Soviet-backed regime survived for three years, but never recovered from a Russian decision to cut off aid to them. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1992 and the regime later that year. Also read | Kabul airport chaotic scenes are 'shameful for the West', says German president Over the course of a decade, as many as two million Afghans were killed by Soviet troops in their Afghanistan conflict. Additionally, seven million Afghans were forced from their homes. The Soviet Union also lost approximately 14,000 soldiers. It was fighters of the anti-Soviet Mujahideen who helped to establish the Taliban in the early 1990s. (With inputs from agencies)

Doomed from start: US invasion of Afghanistan was a 'bad idea', says last Soviet leader Gorbachev

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan has left regional heavyweights&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and Turkey with a headache -- both countries may see an opportunity to boost their influence but neither wants a further influx of refugees.

This is especially the case right now as both countries are battling the coronavirus pandemic and facing economic difficulties.

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Analysts say everything depends on the unknown factor -- whether the Taliban present a more moderate stance that allows for international cooperation or they return to the unbridled extremism that led to their overthrow in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

"The situation is a huge risk for Turkey, there is no doubt.&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;will also stand to lose if the Taliban returns to its old ways and provides a safe haven" for Islamist extremists, Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told AFP.

Iran&nbsp;and Turkey both risk seeing substantial inflows of refugees, many of whom cross from&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;into Turkey in the hope of reaching Europe.&nbsp;

Both already host large refugee populations -- 3.6 million Syrians in Turkey and 3.5 million Afghans in&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;-- and tolerance at home is running out.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19 pandemic</a> has hit&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;hard, pushing the sanctions-battered country further into crisis, while in Turkey the economic growth that was always the bulwark of Erdogan's popularity has faded away.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/guantanamo-ex-inmates-emerge-as-key-players-in-talibans-victory-in-afghanistan-406238" hreflang="en">Guantanamo ex-inmates emerge as key players in Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan&nbsp;</a>

Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan said last week that he was prepared to meet the Taliban leadership in a bid to secure peace while&nbsp;Iran's new hardline President Ebrahim Rasi said the US military "defeat" in Afghanistan was a chance to bring peace to the country.

On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu talked of "positive messages" coming from the Taliban on protection for civilians and foreigners, expressing hope they would follow through with positive actions.

'Ticking bomb'&nbsp;

But analysts say the Taliban takeover has robbed Erdogan of a strategic card he was eager to play -- an offer to provide military security at Kabul airport that might have improved relations with US President Joe Biden.

"The whole Turkish mission is in jeopardy as well as the idea of using Kabul airport as leverage in relaunching Turkey’s relationship with Washington," Aydintasbas said, adding it was "hard to imagine" the Taliban letting Turkey control the airport.

"A few days ago this looked like a golden opportunity for Turkey. Now it is a huge ticking bomb."

Meanwhile, "the most pressing issue" for Erdogan is the possible influx of refugees from Afghanistan at a time of growing unrest in Turkey over the long-term presence of Syrians in the country, she said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fun-amid-chaos-taliban-fighters-ride-in-bumper-cars-with-guns-ride-horses-in-merry-go-around-in-kabul-watch-406201" hreflang="en">Fun amid chaos: Taliban fighters ride in bumper cars with guns; ride horses in merry-go-around in Kabul- Watch</a>

Aydintasbas said neighbouring countries "have no idea what Taliban 2.0 will look like".

"If the Taliban has become more moderate then Turkey could engage with it," she said.

The International Crisis Group argued in a research note that the Taliban's diplomatic engagement "has shifted to a regionally focused approach", emphasising dialogue with&nbsp;Iran, Russia, Central Asian states and China.

US-led stability&nbsp;

Rouzbeh Parsi of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, said US forces leaving the region was&nbsp;Iran's stated goal, but their departure was far from entirely welcome for Tehran.

"US support for the governments in Afghanistan and Iraq has also been helpful for&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;in that it ensured a certain stability and US did the heavy lifting," he said.

Overwhelmingly Shiite&nbsp;Iran, which shares a more than 900-kilometre (550-mile) border with Afghanistan, appeared keen to achieve peaceful coexistence with the Sunni Taliban, he said.

"Iran&nbsp;has for some time, pragmatic as always, accepted that the Taliban are not going to disappear and that no outsider will be able to militarily defeat them," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-unidentified-man-shoots-at-a-civilian-trying-to-enter-kabul-airport-406227" hreflang="en">Watch: Unidentified man shoots at a civilian trying to enter Kabul airport</a>

"Iran&nbsp;is a country heavily beset by Covid, corruption, and a faltering economy. The ability and willingness to take on more Afghan refugees is probably not great."

Parsi added that&nbsp;Iran's future relationship with the new rulers in Kabul "hinges on the pragmatism of the Taliban", noting that Tehran would pay particular attention to the wellbeing of the mainly Shiite, Persian-speaking Hazara minority.

Marc Pierini, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and a former EU ambassador to Turkey, said Europe was anxiously watching the potential migrant flows after a million people reached its shores mainly through Turkey in 2015 when the Syrian conflict was at its peak.&nbsp;

"Handling this emergency will require a degree of confident humanitarian cooperation between the EU and&nbsp;Iran-Turkey, which will be difficult to achieve," he told AFP.

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan has left regional heavyweights Iran and Turkey with a headache -- both countries may see an opportunity to boost their influence but neither wants a further influx of refugees.

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan has left regional heavyweights Iran and Turkey with a headache -- both countries may see an opportunity to boost their influence but neither wants a further influx of refugees. This is especially the case right now as both countries are battling the coronavirus pandemic and facing economic difficulties. LIVE Afghanistan crisis: India brings back ambassador, embassy staff from Kabul Analysts say everything depends on the unknown factor -- whether the Taliban present a more moderate stance that allows for international cooperation or they return to the unbridled extremism that led to their overthrow in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. "The situation is a huge risk for Turkey, there is no doubt. Iran will also stand to lose if the Taliban returns to its old ways and provides a safe haven" for Islamist extremists, Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told AFP. Iran and Turkey both risk seeing substantial inflows of refugees, many of whom cross from Iran into Turkey in the hope of reaching Europe. Both already host large refugee populations -- 3.6 million Syrians in Turkey and 3.5 million Afghans in Iran -- and tolerance at home is running out. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Iran hard, pushing the sanctions-battered country further into crisis, while in Turkey the economic growth that was always the bulwark of Erdogan's popularity has faded away. Also read | Guantanamo ex-inmates emerge as key players in Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan said last week that he was prepared to meet the Taliban leadership in a bid to secure peace while Iran's new hardline President Ebrahim Rasi said the US military "defeat" in Afghanistan was a chance to bring peace to the country. On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu talked of "positive messages" coming from the Taliban on protection for civilians and foreigners, expressing hope they would follow through with positive actions. 'Ticking bomb' But analysts say the Taliban takeover has robbed Erdogan of a strategic card he was eager to play -- an offer to provide military security at Kabul airport that might have improved relations with US President Joe Biden. "The whole Turkish mission is in jeopardy as well as the idea of using Kabul airport as leverage in relaunching Turkey’s relationship with Washington," Aydintasbas said, adding it was "hard to imagine" the Taliban letting Turkey control the airport. "A few days ago this looked like a golden opportunity for Turkey. Now it is a huge ticking bomb." Meanwhile, "the most pressing issue" for Erdogan is the possible influx of refugees from Afghanistan at a time of growing unrest in Turkey over the long-term presence of Syrians in the country, she said. Also read | Fun amid chaos: Taliban fighters ride in bumper cars with guns; ride horses in merry-go-around in Kabul- Watch Aydintasbas said neighbouring countries "have no idea what Taliban 2.0 will look like". "If the Taliban has become more moderate then Turkey could engage with it," she said. The International Crisis Group argued in a research note that the Taliban's diplomatic engagement "has shifted to a regionally focused approach", emphasising dialogue with Iran, Russia, Central Asian states and China. US-led stability Rouzbeh Parsi of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, said US forces leaving the region was Iran's stated goal, but their departure was far from entirely welcome for Tehran. "US support for the governments in Afghanistan and Iraq has also been helpful for Iran in that it ensured a certain stability and US did the heavy lifting," he said. Overwhelmingly Shiite Iran, which shares a more than 900-kilometre (550-mile) border with Afghanistan, appeared keen to achieve peaceful coexistence with the Sunni Taliban, he said. "Iran has for some time, pragmatic as always, accepted that the Taliban are not going to disappear and that no outsider will be able to militarily defeat them," he said. Also read | Watch: Unidentified man shoots at a civilian trying to enter Kabul airport "Iran is a country heavily beset by Covid, corruption, and a faltering economy. The ability and willingness to take on more Afghan refugees is probably not great." Parsi added that Iran's future relationship with the new rulers in Kabul "hinges on the pragmatism of the Taliban", noting that Tehran would pay particular attention to the wellbeing of the mainly Shiite, Persian-speaking Hazara minority. Marc Pierini, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and a former EU ambassador to Turkey, said Europe was anxiously watching the potential migrant flows after a million people reached its shores mainly through Turkey in 2015 when the Syrian conflict was at its peak. "Handling this emergency will require a degree of confident humanitarian cooperation between the EU and Iran-Turkey, which will be difficult to achieve," he told AFP.

Taliban takeover leaves Iran and Turkey fearing refugee influx

Inside pictures of plane at Kabul airport as Afghans battle to flee Taliban rule

Afghanistan's neighbour Uzbekistan on Tuesday said that they are in close contact with the Taliban and that they will "strictly suppress" any attempts to breach their borders after the insurgent group seized power in the country.

The former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, one of three Central Asian countries bordering Afghanistan, released the statement following days of mayhem during which Afghan troops illegally crossed into the republic to escape the Taliban's advance amid the US military pullout.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Uzbekistan's foreign ministry said that it supported the pledge of "internal Afghan forces" for an inclusive government and said Tashkent was "looking forward to achieving a comprehensive peace in the framework of the inter-Afghan talks in Doha."

Ministry officials say that they are in discussions with the Taliban over "issues of ensuring the protection of borders and maintaining calm in the border zone".

Kabul's government collapsed in a matter of days to the alarm of many Central Asian countries.

According to&nbsp;Russian news agencies Interfax and RIA Novosti, over 100 Afghan soldiers had been allowed to land at Bokhtar Airport in&nbsp;the south of the country&nbsp;by neighbouring Tajikistan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-say-they-want-women-to-join-their-government-406258" hreflang="en">Taliban say they want women to join their government</a>

In comparison to other Central Asian nations that border Afghanistan, Tadjikistan has not yet held official talks with the Taliban.&nbsp;

Three fighter planes carrying the soldiers landed in Bokhtar on Monday night, reported RIA Novosti.&nbsp;

Its interior ministry announced Monday that it will hold joint military exercises with China from August 17 to 20 to "combat terrorism in mountainous areas."&nbsp;

A military drill led by Russia took place in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan earlier this month near their borders with Afghanistan.

(With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan's neighbour Uzbekistan on Tuesday said that they are in close contact with the Taliban and that they will "strictly suppress" any attempts to breach their borders after the insurgent group seized power in the country.

Afghanistan's neighbour Uzbekistan on Tuesday said that they are in close contact with the Taliban and that they will "strictly suppress" any attempts to breach their borders after the insurgent group seized power in the country. The former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, one of three Central Asian countries bordering Afghanistan, released the statement following days of mayhem during which Afghan troops illegally crossed into the republic to escape the Taliban's advance amid the US military pullout. LIVE Afghanistan crisis: India brings back ambassador, embassy staff from Kabul Uzbekistan's foreign ministry said that it supported the pledge of "internal Afghan forces" for an inclusive government and said Tashkent was "looking forward to achieving a comprehensive peace in the framework of the inter-Afghan talks in Doha." Ministry officials say that they are in discussions with the Taliban over "issues of ensuring the protection of borders and maintaining calm in the border zone". Kabul's government collapsed in a matter of days to the alarm of many Central Asian countries. According to Russian news agencies Interfax and RIA Novosti, over 100 Afghan soldiers had been allowed to land at Bokhtar Airport in the south of the country by neighbouring Tajikistan. Also read | Taliban say they want women to join their government In comparison to other Central Asian nations that border Afghanistan, Tadjikistan has not yet held official talks with the Taliban. Three fighter planes carrying the soldiers landed in Bokhtar on Monday night, reported RIA Novosti. Its interior ministry announced Monday that it will hold joint military exercises with China from August 17 to 20 to "combat terrorism in mountainous areas." A military drill led by Russia took place in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan earlier this month near their borders with Afghanistan. (With inputs from agencies)

Uzbekistan says in contact with Taliban, warns over border violations