The Taliban has seized billions of dollars’ worth of U.S.-supplied military equipment in Afghanistan following the rapid defeat of Afghan government forces. Images of Taliban fighters posing with these U.S.-made supplies are circulating on social media.

Taliban seize billions of dollars’ worth U.S.-supplied military equipment

<p>With the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, the future of women in the country has become a concerning topic. Taliban are expected to run the state under Sharia Laws which is expected to negatively impact women's rights in the country.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/after-taliban-takeover-can-afghan-cricket-board-lose-iccs-full-membership-406916" hreflang="en">After Taliban takeover, can Afghan Cricket Board lose ICC's full membership?</a></p>

<p>Now, a former Afghanistan women's football team captain has urged the players to burn their kits, delete social media, and erase public identities as the country has returned under the rule of the Taliban and they have killed, raped and stoned women in the past.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Khalida Popal, who is also the co-founder of the Afghan women's football league, said she had always used her voice to encourage young women "to stand strong, to be bold, to be visible" but now she had a different message.</p>

<p>"Today I'm calling them and telling them, take down their names, remove their identities, take down their photos for their safety. Even I'm telling them to burn down or get rid of your national team uniform," she said in an interview to Reuters.</p>

<p>"And that is painful for me, for someone as an activist who stood up and did everything possible to achieve and earn that identity as a women's national team player.</p>

<p>"To earn that badge on the chest, to have the right to play and represent our country, how much we were proud."</p>

<p>According to Popal, football played a crucial role in empowering the women in her country and enabled them to take a strong stand for their rights and to defy those who would have them silenced.</p>

<p>"They are so afraid. They are worried, they are scared, not only the players, but also the activists... they have nobody to go to, to seek protection, to ask for help if they are in danger," she said of the situation now.</p>

<p>"They are afraid that any time the door will be knocked.</p>

<p>"What we are seeing is a country collapsing," she added. "All the pride, happiness to be there to empower women and men of the country is like it was just wasted."</p>

<p><em>(Inputs from Agency)</em></p>


With the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, the future of women in the country has become a concerning topic. Taliban are expected to run the state under Sharia Laws which is expected to negatively impact women's rights in the country.

With the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, the future of women in the country has become a concerning topic. Taliban are expected to run the state under Sharia Laws which is expected to negatively impact women's rights in the country. ALSO READ: After Taliban takeover, can Afghan Cricket Board lose ICC's full membership? Now, a former Afghanistan women's football team captain has urged the players to burn their kits, delete social media, and erase public identities as the country has returned under the rule of the Taliban and they have killed, raped and stoned women in the past. Khalida Popal, who is also the co-founder of the Afghan women's football league, said she had always used her voice to encourage young women "to stand strong, to be bold, to be visible" but now she had a different message. "Today I'm calling them and telling them, take down their names, remove their identities, take down their photos for their safety. Even I'm telling them to burn down or get rid of your national team uniform," she said in an interview to Reuters. "And that is painful for me, for someone as an activist who stood up and did everything possible to achieve and earn that identity as a women's national team player. "To earn that badge on the chest, to have the right to play and represent our country, how much we were proud." According to Popal, football played a crucial role in empowering the women in her country and enabled them to take a strong stand for their rights and to defy those who would have them silenced. "They are so afraid. They are worried, they are scared, not only the players, but also the activists... they have nobody to go to, to seek protection, to ask for help if they are in danger," she said of the situation now. "They are afraid that any time the door will be knocked. "What we are seeing is a country collapsing," she added. "All the pride, happiness to be there to empower women and men of the country is like it was just wasted." (Inputs from Agency)

After Taliban's takeover, former Afghan women's football captain urges players to burn kits

India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar addressed the press after the UNSC meeting during which WION's correspondent Susan Tehrani posed a question to him asking if India will recognise the Taliban in Afghan? Watch the report to know what Jaishankar answered to this.

Will India recognise the Taliban in Afghanistan?

Amid the chaos, gridlocked streets, gunshots and panic WION's Anas Mallick get you a ground report from Kabul airport where some have been waiting for hours and some for days to flee Afghanistan.

WION Ground Report: Chaos, gridlocked streets & panic in Kabul as desperate Afghans try to flee

Harrowing visuals coming in from Afghanistan show helpless families attempting to ensure the safety of their children, some even flinging the kids to the soldiers over wire fencing at Kabul airport.

Desperate people hand over their children to departing US troops

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>"Our flag, our identity," they shouted.</p>

<p>At some protests elsewhere, the media reported people tearing down the Taliban's white flag.</p>

<p>A Taliban spokesman was not immediately available for comment.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Kabul has been largely calm, but 12 people have been killed in and around the airport, NATO and Taliban officials said.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>The Taliban swiftly conquered Afghanistan as US and other foreign troops withdrew, surprising even their own leaders and leaving power vacuums in many places.</p>

<p>The Taliban urged unity ahead of Friday prayers, calling on imams to persuade people not to leave Afghanistan.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>BLACKLIST</strong></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-from-init="true" data-paragraphid="5">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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>"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."</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>It was unclear if the Asadabad casualties resulted from Taliban firing or from a stampede.</p>

<p>"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."</p>

<p>Protests flared in the city of Jalalabad and in Paktia province, also in the east.</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p><strong>LIMITED LEVERAGE</strong></p>

<p>US President Joe Biden said the Taliban must decide if they want international recognition.</p>

<p>"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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>"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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>


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

<p data-label="Package" data-qa-component="item-headline" data-rc-highlight="headline" dir="auto" title="Contrary to intent, Biden's Afghan pullout could undermine Asia shift">President Joe Biden's complete pullout of US troops in Afghanistan can&nbsp;undermine Asia shift, contrary to his intent.</p>

<p data-label="Package" data-qa-component="item-headline" data-rc-highlight="headline" dir="auto" title="Contrary to intent, Biden's Afghan pullout could undermine Asia shift">Biden had said it had been impossible to leave Afghanistan without chaos, as the United States pleaded with the victorious Taliban to allow safe passage for people to flee.</p>

<p>Amid desperate scenes at the Kabul airport where American forces are racing against the clock to evacuate tens of thousands of people,&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;stood by his decision to end the 20-year US war in Afghanistan.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-afghanistan-exit-soviets-vs-america-407005/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Kurt Campbell, the White House's top Asia adviser, declared last month that a historic change in US&nbsp;foreign policy was afoot, one that would shift US&nbsp;focus away from the Middle East to Asia, where China's growing might has cast shadows over Washington's allies.</p>

<p>"It will be painful, in all likelihood. We'll see some real challenges in places like&nbsp;Afghanistan," Campbell told an Asia Society webinar, a blunt assessment of what since has come to pass as the Taliban's swift takeover of the country has sparked a humanitarian crisis.</p>

<p>Officials argued that withdrawing from&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;would free up time and attention of senior US&nbsp;political and military leaders, as well as some military assets, to focus on the Indo-Pacific.</p>

<p>But experts and former officials say President Joe Biden's poorly executed troop withdrawal from&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;appears, in the near term and possibly for much longer,&nbsp;to be undermining the very goal of freeing the United States to concentrate on China, something successive presidents have sought, only to be pulled back to the Middle East.</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Update on the Status of Hamid Karzai International Airport:<br />
<br />
-In the last 24 hours: 2,000 people evacuated<br />
-Since August 14th: 7,000 people evacuated<br />
-Since the end of July: 12,000 evacuated<br />
<br />
There are currently 5,200 troops on the ground and the airport is secure and open.</p>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1428378620502872065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Contrary to the planned quick pullout, Biden has been forced to send in thousands of troops to protect the evacuation of US&nbsp;personnel and Afghans potentially subject to Taliban retribution, while the chaos has unleashed a political storm at home.</p>

<p>Biden has said the original August&nbsp;31 deadline for troop withdrawal now may be extended to finish the job.</p>

<p>Moreover, the United States was forced to move its lone aircraft carrier in the Asia-Pacific, the Ronald Reagan, to the Middle East in June to help with the withdrawal. As the situation in Kabul has deteriorated, jets from the carrier have been flying over the city to provide extra security.</p>

<p>While the redeployment may only be short-term, the need to divert the carrier from the Asia-Pacific has raised questions about the US&nbsp;ability to project power there.</p>

<p>US&nbsp;operations in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;are also likely to continue to consume the attention of senior officials who might otherwise have their eyes on Beijing.</p>

<p>"As Assistant Secretary for the Indo-Pacific, Ely Ratner has&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;in his portfolio. Where do you think his primary focus is for the next three months or longer?" said Eric Sayers, a defense policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute.</p>

<p>Others warn that terrorist groups will likely reestablish themselves in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;under the Taliban, raising the prospect that the United States will need to return in some fashion, much like it returned to Iraq to combat the rise of the Islamic State.&nbsp;</p>

<p>David Sedney, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for&nbsp;Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia, dismissed claims by US&nbsp;officials that counterterrorism operations could be conducted from outside the country as a mirage.</p>

<p>"No one who is serious about counterterrorism believes it," he said. "The United States is going to pay a terrible price for this at some point in the future. Another 9/11."</p>

<p><strong>'Protection of others'</strong></p>

<p>For Campbell, architect of former President Barack Obama's halting pivot to Asia, building US&nbsp;bona fides in the Indo-Pacific has meant making good on unfinished business and&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;was an enduring distraction.</p>

<p>Yet the chaotic evacuations from Kabul have evoked images of the 1975 US&nbsp;withdrawal from Vietnam, a country Vice President Kamala Harris will visit next week to push back on China's territorial claims in the South China Sea.</p>

<p>That trip, which includes a stop in Singapore, will make her the latest in a string of senior officials to travel to Asia as part of Biden's effort to step up engagement there.</p>

<p>"Our strategic competitors around the world would have liked nothing more than to see us in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;for another 5, 10, 20 years dedicating even more resources to&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;while it remained in the midst of a civil war," a senior US&nbsp;official said.</p>

<p>But the hasty pullout following a failed 20-year project in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;appears to have shaken some of the very allies Washington hoped to bolster with its Indo-Pacific push.</p>

<p>In Chinese-claimed Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday responded to the chaos in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;by saying the self-ruled island had no choice but to boost its own defense.</p>

<p>"It is not an option for us to do nothing ourselves and rely only on the protection of others," she said.</p>

<p>China's state-controlled media have seized on Afghan developments, portraying US&nbsp;support for allies as fickle.</p>

<p>And while experts are quick to dismiss most geopolitical comparisons of&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;and Taiwan, there is a general concern that this latest blow to American prestige undermines Biden's pledge that US&nbsp;leadership was back following the isolationist tendencies of the Trump administration.</p>

<p>"As bin Laden said back around 2001, this is an issue of demonstrating who was the stronger horse. The US&nbsp;appears to be producing nags and mules, rather than racehorses," said Dean Cheng of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank, referring to Osama bin Laden, whose orchestration of the 9/11 attacks led the United States to invade&nbsp;Afghanistan.</p>

<p>"Taiwan and other East Asian states will be thinking about this."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


President Joe Biden's complete pullout of US troops in Afghanistan can undermine Asia shift, contrary to his intent. Biden had said it had been impossible to leave Afghanistan without chaos, as the United States pleaded with the victorious Taliban to allow safe passage for people to flee.

President Joe Biden's complete pullout of US troops in Afghanistan can undermine Asia shift, contrary to his intent. Biden had said it had been impossible to leave Afghanistan without chaos, as the United States pleaded with the victorious Taliban to allow safe passage for people to flee. Amid desperate scenes at the Kabul airport where American forces are racing against the clock to evacuate tens of thousands of people, Biden stood by his decision to end the 20-year US war in Afghanistan. Kurt Campbell, the White House's top Asia adviser, declared last month that a historic change in US foreign policy was afoot, one that would shift US focus away from the Middle East to Asia, where China's growing might has cast shadows over Washington's allies. "It will be painful, in all likelihood. We'll see some real challenges in places like Afghanistan," Campbell told an Asia Society webinar, a blunt assessment of what since has come to pass as the Taliban's swift takeover of the country has sparked a humanitarian crisis. Officials argued that withdrawing from Afghanistan would free up time and attention of senior US political and military leaders, as well as some military assets, to focus on the Indo-Pacific. But experts and former officials say President Joe Biden's poorly executed troop withdrawal from Afghanistan appears, in the near term and possibly for much longer, to be undermining the very goal of freeing the United States to concentrate on China, something successive presidents have sought, only to be pulled back to the Middle East. Update on the Status of Hamid Karzai International Airport: -In the last 24 hours: 2,000 people evacuated -Since August 14th: 7,000 people evacuated -Since the end of July: 12,000 evacuated There are currently 5,200 troops on the ground and the airport is secure and open. — The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 19, 2021 × Contrary to the planned quick pullout, Biden has been forced to send in thousands of troops to protect the evacuation of US personnel and Afghans potentially subject to Taliban retribution, while the chaos has unleashed a political storm at home. Biden has said the original August 31 deadline for troop withdrawal now may be extended to finish the job. Moreover, the United States was forced to move its lone aircraft carrier in the Asia-Pacific, the Ronald Reagan, to the Middle East in June to help with the withdrawal. As the situation in Kabul has deteriorated, jets from the carrier have been flying over the city to provide extra security. While the redeployment may only be short-term, the need to divert the carrier from the Asia-Pacific has raised questions about the US ability to project power there. US operations in Afghanistan are also likely to continue to consume the attention of senior officials who might otherwise have their eyes on Beijing. "As Assistant Secretary for the Indo-Pacific, Ely Ratner has Afghanistan in his portfolio. Where do you think his primary focus is for the next three months or longer?" said Eric Sayers, a defense policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute. Others warn that terrorist groups will likely reestablish themselves in Afghanistan under the Taliban, raising the prospect that the United States will need to return in some fashion, much like it returned to Iraq to combat the rise of the Islamic State. David Sedney, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia, dismissed claims by US officials that counterterrorism operations could be conducted from outside the country as a mirage. "No one who is serious about counterterrorism believes it," he said. "The United States is going to pay a terrible price for this at some point in the future. Another 9/11." 'Protection of others' For Campbell, architect of former President Barack Obama's halting pivot to Asia, building US bona fides in the Indo-Pacific has meant making good on unfinished business and Afghanistan was an enduring distraction. Yet the chaotic evacuations from Kabul have evoked images of the 1975 US withdrawal from Vietnam, a country Vice President Kamala Harris will visit next week to push back on China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. That trip, which includes a stop in Singapore, will make her the latest in a string of senior officials to travel to Asia as part of Biden's effort to step up engagement there. "Our strategic competitors around the world would have liked nothing more than to see us in Afghanistan for another 5, 10, 20 years dedicating even more resources to Afghanistan while it remained in the midst of a civil war," a senior US official said. But the hasty pullout following a failed 20-year project in Afghanistan appears to have shaken some of the very allies Washington hoped to bolster with its Indo-Pacific push. In Chinese-claimed Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday responded to the chaos in Afghanistan by saying the self-ruled island had no choice but to boost its own defense. "It is not an option for us to do nothing ourselves and rely only on the protection of others," she said. China's state-controlled media have seized on Afghan developments, portraying US support for allies as fickle. And while experts are quick to dismiss most geopolitical comparisons of Afghanistan and Taiwan, there is a general concern that this latest blow to American prestige undermines Biden's pledge that US leadership was back following the isolationist tendencies of the Trump administration. "As bin Laden said back around 2001, this is an issue of demonstrating who was the stronger horse. The US appears to be producing nags and mules, rather than racehorses," said Dean Cheng of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank, referring to Osama bin Laden, whose orchestration of the 9/11 attacks led the United States to invade Afghanistan. "Taiwan and other East Asian states will be thinking about this." (With inputs from agencies)

Can US President Joe Biden's Afghan pullout undermine Asia shift?

<p>Netizens are slamming sickening new T-shirts being sold online that mock Afghans who plummeted to their deaths from departing US jets in Kabul.</p>

<p>Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee Afghanistan since the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;swept into the capital Kabul on Sunday, completing a stunning rout of government forces in a matter of days.</p>

<p>The tasteless T-shirts being sold online for&nbsp;£12 feature the slogan 'Kabul Skydiving Club, Est 2021' next to silhouettes of a C-17 plane and the falling stowaways.</p>

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<p>The company behind the clothing says it aims to produce clothing which 'catch the latest trend.'</p>

<p>Social media users drew attention to the offensive T-shirts and sales listings on Twitter.</p>

<p>While several were hosted by niche e-commerce sites, one was being sold via a link on Etsy, which serves as a platform for independent sellers to run their own shops. The listing was taken down after people expressed their disapproval and anger.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/Etsy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Etsy</a> why do you allow sellers to sell inhumane products like this making fun of people dying? How do I report this seller? <a href="https://t.co/FBHa1yBeIm">pic.twitter.com/FBHa1yBeIm</a></p>
— Who wants to know #SaveSilwan #SaveSheikhJarrah (@moreyahyaplease) <a href="https://twitter.com/moreyahyaplease/status/1428125425490808835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/Etsy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Etsy</a> what are you doing about this? This is disgusting.</p>
— Mαrωα 🥀 (@MarwaBalkar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarwaBalkar/status/1428200567130660871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/Etsy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Etsy</a> is this acceptable merch?</p>
— Z (@zohrasool) <a href="https://twitter.com/zohrasool/status/1428207794747023365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fully agree…disgusting way of making money…really despicable however, who in 2021 can ever think it’s a good idea to hang on a plane…seriously….humanity has a loooong way to go.</p>
— Ciro (@dimman76) <a href="https://twitter.com/dimman76/status/1428430950623551495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Thousands of people desperate to flee Afghanistan thronged Kabul's airport after the Taliban seized the capital, prompting the United States to pause evacuations, as President Joe Biden confronted mounting criticism over the US&nbsp;withdrawal.</p>

<p>Chaotic scenes at the airport included a group clinging to a US&nbsp;military transport plane as it taxied on the single runway. One person appeared to fall from the plane during takeoff, according to television footage.</p>

<p>US&nbsp;troops fired in the air to deter people trying to force their way onto a military flight evacuating US diplomats and embassy staff, a US&nbsp;official said.</p>

<p>At least five people were reported killed, although a witness said it was unclear if they had been shot or killed in a stampede.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;are edging towards establishing a government, with co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar returning from exile and other senior figures meeting ex-president Hamid Karzai and other former government officials.</p>

<p>Memories of the&nbsp;Taliban's brutal regime of the 1990s,&nbsp;which saw music and television banned, people stoned to death, and women confined to their homes,&nbsp;have caused panic about what lies ahead for Afghans.</p>

<p>The Taliban's rapid conquest of Kabul followed Biden's decision to withdraw US&nbsp;forces after 20 years of war,&nbsp;the nation's longest,&nbsp;that he described as costing more than $1 trillion.</p>


Netizens are slamming sickening new T-shirts being sold online that mock Afghans who plummeted to their deaths from departing US jets in Kabul. Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee Afghanistan since the Taliban swept into the capital Kabul on Sunday, completing a stunning rout of government forces in a matter of days.

Netizens are slamming sickening new T-shirts being sold online that mock Afghans who plummeted to their deaths from departing US jets in Kabul. Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee Afghanistan since the Taliban swept into the capital Kabul on Sunday, completing a stunning rout of government forces in a matter of days. The tasteless T-shirts being sold online for £12 feature the slogan 'Kabul Skydiving Club, Est 2021' next to silhouettes of a C-17 plane and the falling stowaways. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WION (@wionews) The company behind the clothing says it aims to produce clothing which 'catch the latest trend.' Social media users drew attention to the offensive T-shirts and sales listings on Twitter. While several were hosted by niche e-commerce sites, one was being sold via a link on Etsy, which serves as a platform for independent sellers to run their own shops. The listing was taken down after people expressed their disapproval and anger. Hey @Etsy why do you allow sellers to sell inhumane products like this making fun of people dying? How do I report this seller? pic.twitter.com/FBHa1yBeIm — Who wants to know #SaveSilwan #SaveSheikhJarrah (@moreyahyaplease) August 18, 2021 × @Etsy what are you doing about this? This is disgusting. — Mαrωα 🥀 (@MarwaBalkar) August 19, 2021 × @Etsy is this acceptable merch? — Z (@zohrasool) August 19, 2021 × Fully agree…disgusting way of making money…really despicable however, who in 2021 can ever think it’s a good idea to hang on a plane…seriously….humanity has a loooong way to go. — Ciro (@dimman76) August 19, 2021 × Thousands of people desperate to flee Afghanistan thronged Kabul's airport after the Taliban seized the capital, prompting the United States to pause evacuations, as President Joe Biden confronted mounting criticism over the US withdrawal. Chaotic scenes at the airport included a group clinging to a US military transport plane as it taxied on the single runway. One person appeared to fall from the plane during takeoff, according to television footage. US troops fired in the air to deter people trying to force their way onto a military flight evacuating US diplomats and embassy staff, a US official said. At least five people were reported killed, although a witness said it was unclear if they had been shot or killed in a stampede. The Taliban are edging towards establishing a government, with co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar returning from exile and other senior figures meeting ex-president Hamid Karzai and other former government officials. Memories of the Taliban's brutal regime of the 1990s, which saw music and television banned, people stoned to death, and women confined to their homes, have caused panic about what lies ahead for Afghans. The Taliban's rapid conquest of Kabul followed Biden's decision to withdraw US forces after 20 years of war, the nation's longest, that he described as costing more than $1 trillion.

Truly sickening: 'Kabul skydiving club' t-shirts mock Afghans who fell to their deaths from US plane

US President Joe Biden has been criticised for being ill-informed about where US troops are stationed. During a recent interview, Biden incorrectly stated that the US had not stationed the military in Syria.

Joe Biden incorrectly states that US has not stationed military in Syria

<p data-changed="true" data-paragraphid="3">In early July, the Taliban tortured and murdered nine Hazara men in Afghanistan, looting their homes in Ghazni province, according to human rights organisation Amnesty International.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="5">Three of the nine guys were tortured to death, according to eyewitnesses, including one who was strangled with a scarf and had his muscles cut off.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">According to eyewitnesses, Taliban terrorists broke a 45-year-old man's wrists and legs, shot him, and ripped his hair out.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-taliban-burn-down-amusement-park-in-afghanistan-406897"><strong>Watch: Taliban burn down amusement park in Afghanistan</strong></a></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="7">The Hazara ethnic group, which mostly practises Shia Islam, is Afghanistan's third biggest ethnic group.<br />
<br />
<strong><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>:</strong></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8">According to the BBC, it has long been subjected to prejudice and persecution in predominately Sunni Afghanistan and Pakistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="9">According to the report, "on-the-ground researchers spoke to eyewitnesses who gave harrowing accounts of the killings, which took place between 4-6 July in the village of Mundarakht, Malistan district."</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">"The cold-blooded brutality of these killings is a reminder of the Taliban’s past record, and a horrifying indicator of what Taliban rule may bring. These targeted killings are proof that ethnic and religious minorities remain at particular risk under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, "Amnesty's secretary-general Agnès Callamard said.<br />
<br />
<strong>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></strong></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="11">Amnesty International encouraged the United Nations to "pass an emergency resolution demanding that the Taliban uphold international human rights law and protect the safety of all Afghans, regardless of ethnicity or religious beliefs."&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="12">Before being toppled by a US-led coalition in 2001, the Taliban were notorious for their harsh rule of Afghanistan, which denied women and ethnic minorities their rights.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="13"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In early July, the Taliban tortured and murdered nine Hazara men in Afghanistan, looting their homes in Ghazni province, according to human rights organisation Amnesty International.

In early July, the Taliban tortured and murdered nine Hazara men in Afghanistan, looting their homes in Ghazni province, according to human rights organisation Amnesty International. Three of the nine guys were tortured to death, according to eyewitnesses, including one who was strangled with a scarf and had his muscles cut off. According to eyewitnesses, Taliban terrorists broke a 45-year-old man's wrists and legs, shot him, and ripped his hair out. Watch: Taliban burn down amusement park in Afghanistan The Hazara ethnic group, which mostly practises Shia Islam, is Afghanistan's third biggest ethnic group. Live: Afghanistan crisis: According to the BBC, it has long been subjected to prejudice and persecution in predominately Sunni Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to the report, "on-the-ground researchers spoke to eyewitnesses who gave harrowing accounts of the killings, which took place between 4-6 July in the village of Mundarakht, Malistan district." "The cold-blooded brutality of these killings is a reminder of the Taliban’s past record, and a horrifying indicator of what Taliban rule may bring. These targeted killings are proof that ethnic and religious minorities remain at particular risk under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, "Amnesty's secretary-general Agnès Callamard said. Also read | Watch: Child lifted over Kabul airport wall by US soldiers Amnesty International encouraged the United Nations to "pass an emergency resolution demanding that the Taliban uphold international human rights law and protect the safety of all Afghans, regardless of ethnicity or religious beliefs." Before being toppled by a US-led coalition in 2001, the Taliban were notorious for their harsh rule of Afghanistan, which denied women and ethnic minorities their rights. (With inputs from agencies)

Muscles sliced off, strangled with scarf: Nine men of the Hazara minority killed by Taliban

In its first press conference since capturing Kabul, the Taliban had said that it would allow free media and jobs for women. But The complaints made by some Afghan journalists in recent days are sowing doubt about assurances made by the Taliban.

Taliban 'free press' promise a farce?

The Joe Biden Administration has left behind $20 billion military hardware on a platter for the Taliban. American Choppers, Humvees, Jets & rifles are now in the Taliban's hands. Palki Sharma tells you how this is another proof of Biden's unmitigated disaster.

Gravitas: These American weapons are now in Taliban's hands

International donors including the US and Germany have halted aid money to Afghanistan. How will the Taliban 'govern' the country without foreign aid? Will sweet-talking the west help release aid money? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Economic woes await broke Taliban regime

The Taliban promised amnesty for enemies & safety to all Afghans. But reports from Kabul are conflicting & the visuals are compelling. WION's correspondent Anas Mallick hopped onto a Taliban patrol car to bring you the ground reality.

Gravitas: Ground reality of Taliban rule in Kabul

In Kabul today, brave Afghans took to the streets in Kabul to reject the Taliban's rule. They took down the Taliban's flag and unfurled the black, red, and green flag of Afghanistan. Palki Sharma tells you how defenceless Afghans are defying the Taliban's bullets.

Gravitas: Brave Afghans take to the streets to oppose Taliban's rule

From leading anti-Taliban protests to speaking out against regressive diktats, Afghan women have become the face of courage and resistance. Palki Sharma tells you how they are battling to protect their hard-earned gains.

Gravitas: Afghan women lead anti-Taliban protests

Afghans are calling Ashraf Ghani 'the man who betrayed his motherland'. Ghani says he did not steal from his country. What does his record say? Palki Sharma gets you the story of a President turned fugitive.

Gravitas: The story of Ashraf Ghani

<p>The future of sports in Afghanistan remains uncertain — especially the participation of women since the Taliban took over Kabul after routing government forces in order to end two decades of war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From Paralympics to football, female athletes have opened up on the current situation in Afghanistan and how it might impact their future.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently, the Afghanistan Cricket Board head of media operations Hikmat Hassan also weighed in on the same and said that the Taliban "don't have any issue or problem with cricket" but the fate of women's cricket programmes, however, remains unclear.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-feel-miserable-afghan-karate-champion-fears-its-game-over-for-female-athletes-407109">'I feel miserable': Afghan karate champion fears it's game over for female athletes</a></strong></p>

<p><img alt="Hikmat Hassan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d7212676-d34a-49e5-9447-668f9f35e27b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ffff.PNG" /></p>

<p>"The Taliban don't have any issue or problem with cricket, and they have told us that we can continue our work as planned," said Hassan as quoted by Reuters. He added that the team was ready for three one day matches against Pakistan next month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We have completed our two training camps in Kabul and we have sponsors, a production team, and even the kit ready."</p>

<p>Amid the ongoing political crisis, the board has confirmed a one-day series against Pakistan will go ahead in Sri Lanka next month and said it was expanding the "Shpageeza" Twenty20 league competition.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hindukush Stars and Pamir Zalmiyan franchises inducted into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Shpageeza?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Shpageeza</a> Cricket League as, for the first time in its history, the League will have 8 teams instead of six. The ownership rights were sold today amid a ceremony held at ACB.<br />
<br />
More: <a href="https://t.co/tQPZzxNqmq">https://t.co/tQPZzxNqmq</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SCL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SCL2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/VizqhxJXdc">pic.twitter.com/VizqhxJXdc</a></p>
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACBofficials/status/1428324420658114568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL) 2021 signing ceremony. Eight franchises have been sold. We will launch it next month, In ShaaAllah <a href="https://t.co/rh5Ty7RCeg">pic.twitter.com/rh5Ty7RCeg</a></p>
— Hamid Shinwari (@hamidshinwari03) <a href="https://twitter.com/hamidshinwari03/status/1428377642282143751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/after-talibans-takeover-former-afghan-womens-football-captain-urges-players-to-burn-kits-406926">After Taliban's takeover, former Afghan women's football captain urges players to burn kits</a></strong></p>

<p>The official also said that the team should be able to play in the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October-November.</p>

<p>"We are confident we will be able to take part and will be preparing for it over the coming weeks. I don't think there will be a problem," Hassan said.</p>

<p>However, when it comes to women in sports, there isn't any update yet and the future of the women's cricket programmes run by the ACB, which currently has 25 contracted female cricketers and several programmes for girls, remains uncertain.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Hundreds of Afghans fleeing Afghanistan face tough situations</strong></p>

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<p>It is worth noting that women have also been assured their rights will be respected and that the Taliban will be "positively different" from their brutal 1996-2001 rule.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under the militants' hardline 1996-2001 rule, girls' schools were closed, women were prevented from travelling and working and were forced to wear an all-covering burqa in public.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(with inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The future of sports in Afghanistan remains uncertain — especially the participation of women since the Taliban took over Kabul after routing government forces in order to end two decades of war.

The future of sports in Afghanistan remains uncertain — especially the participation of women since the Taliban took over Kabul after routing government forces in order to end two decades of war. From Paralympics to football, female athletes have opened up on the current situation in Afghanistan and how it might impact their future. Recently, the Afghanistan Cricket Board head of media operations Hikmat Hassan also weighed in on the same and said that the Taliban "don't have any issue or problem with cricket" but the fate of women's cricket programmes, however, remains unclear. ALSO READ | 'I feel miserable': Afghan karate champion fears it's game over for female athletes "The Taliban don't have any issue or problem with cricket, and they have told us that we can continue our work as planned," said Hassan as quoted by Reuters. He added that the team was ready for three one day matches against Pakistan next month. "We have completed our two training camps in Kabul and we have sponsors, a production team, and even the kit ready." Amid the ongoing political crisis, the board has confirmed a one-day series against Pakistan will go ahead in Sri Lanka next month and said it was expanding the "Shpageeza" Twenty20 league competition. Hindukush Stars and Pamir Zalmiyan franchises inducted into the #Shpageeza Cricket League as, for the first time in its history, the League will have 8 teams instead of six. The ownership rights were sold today amid a ceremony held at ACB. More: https://t.co/tQPZzxNqmq#SCL2021 pic.twitter.com/VizqhxJXdc — Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) August 19, 2021 × Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL) 2021 signing ceremony. Eight franchises have been sold. We will launch it next month, In ShaaAllah pic.twitter.com/rh5Ty7RCeg — Hamid Shinwari (@hamidshinwari03) August 19, 2021 × ALSO READ | After Taliban's takeover, former Afghan women's football captain urges players to burn kits The official also said that the team should be able to play in the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October-November. "We are confident we will be able to take part and will be preparing for it over the coming weeks. I don't think there will be a problem," Hassan said. However, when it comes to women in sports, there isn't any update yet and the future of the women's cricket programmes run by the ACB, which currently has 25 contracted female cricketers and several programmes for girls, remains uncertain. Watch: Hundreds of Afghans fleeing Afghanistan face tough situations × It is worth noting that women have also been assured their rights will be respected and that the Taliban will be "positively different" from their brutal 1996-2001 rule. Under the militants' hardline 1996-2001 rule, girls' schools were closed, women were prevented from travelling and working and were forced to wear an all-covering burqa in public. (with inputs from agencies)

Taliban 'don't have any issue' with cricket; but status of smaller women's programmes unclear

<p>United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that most Afghans are unable to leave their homeland and those in danger "have no clear way out".</p>

<p>Spokesperson of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Shabia Mantoo reiterated UN's call to neighbour countries of Afghanistan to keep their borders open to allow people to seek asylum. She called the situation in Afghanistan "evolving crisis".</p>

<p>"The vast majority of Afghans are not able to leave the country through regular channels," she told a Geneva news briefing. "As of today, those who may be in danger have no clear way out."</p>

<p>Mantoo said that there have only been "small-scale movements" of Afghans crossing into Pakistan and Iran. These two countries already host 90 per cent of the 2.6 million Afghan refugees registered since fleeing their homeland over the last decades.</p>

<p>More than 18,000 people have been flown out of Kabul since the Taliban took over Afghanistan's capital, a NATO official said on Friday, pledging to redouble evacuation efforts as criticism of the West's handling of the crisis mounted.</p>

<p>Mantoo welcomed the evacuation of Afghan nationals through such separate bilateral programmes, but stressed that they should not substitute for an "urgent and wider international humanitarian response".</p>

<p>"UNHCR remains concerned about the risk of human rights violations against civilians in this evolving context, including women and girls," she added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that most Afghans are unable to leave their homeland and those in danger "have no clear way out". Spokesperson of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Shabia Mantoo reiterated UN's call to neighbour countries of Afghanistan to keep their borders open to allow people to seek asylum.

United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that most Afghans are unable to leave their homeland and those in danger "have no clear way out". Spokesperson of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Shabia Mantoo reiterated UN's call to neighbour countries of Afghanistan to keep their borders open to allow people to seek asylum. She called the situation in Afghanistan "evolving crisis". "The vast majority of Afghans are not able to leave the country through regular channels," she told a Geneva news briefing. "As of today, those who may be in danger have no clear way out." Mantoo said that there have only been "small-scale movements" of Afghans crossing into Pakistan and Iran. These two countries already host 90 per cent of the 2.6 million Afghan refugees registered since fleeing their homeland over the last decades. More than 18,000 people have been flown out of Kabul since the Taliban took over Afghanistan's capital, a NATO official said on Friday, pledging to redouble evacuation efforts as criticism of the West's handling of the crisis mounted. Mantoo welcomed the evacuation of Afghan nationals through such separate bilateral programmes, but stressed that they should not substitute for an "urgent and wider international humanitarian response". "UNHCR remains concerned about the risk of human rights violations against civilians in this evolving context, including women and girls," she added. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghans in danger 'have no clear way out': UN

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has left many shaken. Those who survived the Kabul exodus, and managed to get evacuated safely now recounts the details of the last few harrowing days.

Afghanistan Turmoil: Survivors of Kabul exodus recount details of harrowing couple of days

NATO forces say that more than 18,000 people have been evacuated so far from Kabul airport since the Taliban took over Afghanistan. WION tells you what is happening on the ground.

NATO says over 18,000 evacuated from Kabul airport since Taliban takeover

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="5">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">"We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community that we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="7">"From now on, nobody's going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling."</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="9">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="11">"Drugs will bring out a set of tensions in the movement," he predicted.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="12">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="13">But on the other, any repression would hit farmers in the Taliban political heartlands of Helmand and Kandahar provinces in particular.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="14">"It's going to struggle to take a very aggressive approach to drugs," he added.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="15"><strong>Near-monopoly</strong></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="16">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="17">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="18">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).</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="19">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="20">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="21">Farmers in Taliban-controlled areas would often come under pressure to plant poppies from local warlords and fighters, investigations have found.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="22">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).</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="23">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="24"><strong>'Too tied up'</strong></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="25">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="26">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".</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="27">Still, spokesman Mujahid vowed Afghanistan would be a "narcotics-free country" moving forward.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="28">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="29">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="30">"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."</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="31">"They are not going to get rid of the drug trade because they are too tied up with it."</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="32">"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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="33">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.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="34">"I have no doubt they will exploit it."</p>


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?

<p>Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn said this week they had moved to secure the accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them against being targeted amid the Taliban's swift takeover of the country.</p>

<p>Facebook&nbsp;has temporarily removed the ability for people to view or search the friends lists of accounts in Afghanistan, its security policy head Nathaniel Gleicher tweeted on Thursday.</p>

<p>Gleicher also said the company had launched a "one-click tool" for users in Afghanistan to lock down their accounts, so people who are not their&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;friends would be unable to see their timeline posts or share their profile photos.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/facebook-twitter-linkedin-move-to-secure-accounts-of-afghans-amid-taliban-takeover-407210/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Human rights groups have voiced concerns that the Taliban could use online platforms to track Afghans' digital histories or social connections.</p>

<p>Amnesty International said this week that thousands of Afghans, including academics, journalists and human rights defenders, were at serious risk of Taliban reprisals.</p>

<p>The former captain of the Afghan women's soccer team has also urged players to delete social media and erase their public identities.</p>

<p>Twitter Inc said it was in touch with civil society partners to provide support to groups in the country and was working with the Internet Archive to expedite direct requests to remove archived tweets.</p>

<p>It said if individuals were unable to access accounts containing information that could put them at risk, such as direct messages or followers, the company could temporarily suspend the accounts until users regain access and are able to delete their content.</p>

<p>Twitter also said it was proactively monitoring accounts affiliated with government organizations and might temporarily suspend accounts pending additional information to confirm their identity. A LinkedIn spokesman said the Microsoft-owned professional networking site had temporarily hidden the connections of its users in Afghanistan so other users would not be able to see them.</p>


Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn said this week they had moved to secure the accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them against being targeted amid the Taliban's swift takeover of the country.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn said this week they had moved to secure the accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them against being targeted amid the Taliban's swift takeover of the country. Facebook has temporarily removed the ability for people to view or search the friends lists of accounts in Afghanistan, its security policy head Nathaniel Gleicher tweeted on Thursday. Gleicher also said the company had launched a "one-click tool" for users in Afghanistan to lock down their accounts, so people who are not their Facebook friends would be unable to see their timeline posts or share their profile photos. Human rights groups have voiced concerns that the Taliban could use online platforms to track Afghans' digital histories or social connections. Amnesty International said this week that thousands of Afghans, including academics, journalists and human rights defenders, were at serious risk of Taliban reprisals. The former captain of the Afghan women's soccer team has also urged players to delete social media and erase their public identities. Twitter Inc said it was in touch with civil society partners to provide support to groups in the country and was working with the Internet Archive to expedite direct requests to remove archived tweets. It said if individuals were unable to access accounts containing information that could put them at risk, such as direct messages or followers, the company could temporarily suspend the accounts until users regain access and are able to delete their content. Twitter also said it was proactively monitoring accounts affiliated with government organizations and might temporarily suspend accounts pending additional information to confirm their identity. A LinkedIn spokesman said the Microsoft-owned professional networking site had temporarily hidden the connections of its users in Afghanistan so other users would not be able to see them.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn secure Afghan users' accounts amid Taliban takeover

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn moved to secure accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them against being targeted at a time when the Taliban has taken over the country.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn move to secure accounts of Afghans amid Taliban takeover

Afghanistan has slid into chaos, the trouble is not just political the financial implications of the breakneck Taliban victory are also looming over the country. With halted foreign aid the biggest question is what's next for Afghanistan's economy?

Who will help the Taliban to replace foreign sources?

It's been 5 days since Taliban took over Kabul. 38 million afghans now live under the Taliban. Desperation has grown among the Afghans to flee from the country.

Desperation grows among Afghans for evacuation after Taliban's takeover of Kabul

<p>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;</p>

<p>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;</p>

<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>

<p>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.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">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?<br />
<br />
Mohammed Saleh tells you more <a href="https://t.co/fZmXuu8PhE">pic.twitter.com/fZmXuu8PhE</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1428640644138864643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<p>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.</p>

<p>Other videos have emerged, purportedly showing mothers throwing their children over the razor wires in hopes that the soldiers would help.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">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></p>
— 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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<p>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.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">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></p>
— 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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<p>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.</p>

<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>"We can't just take a minor on their own,"&nbsp;Wallace&nbsp;told Sky News.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>They’ve stated that they would respect the rights of women, according to Islamic law.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>If someone broke the rules, they were subject to humiliation and public beatings by the Taliban's religious police.</p>

<p>Following recent events at Kabul airport, questions have been raised about foreign nations' responsibility to Afghan refugees fleeing persecution.</p>

<p>Hundreds of migrants have arrived at airports across Europe and beyond, however many more are still waiting, stuck and afraid.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of these videos</em></p>

<p><em>Courtesy: @cool_flute,&nbsp;@SourceBeijing,&nbsp;</em>@BabakTaghvaee</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

Taliban fighters have escalated search for Afghans who worked for US and NATO forces. A UN report has stated this. The UN report has been documented by UN threat assessment consultants which say the group has priority lists of individuals it wants to arrest.

Taliban fighters escalate search for workers of US, NATO forces

<p>China has said that it is waiting &nbsp;for the Taliban to establish an “open, inclusive, and broadly representative” government in Afghanistan before it decides on extending diplomatic recognition.</p>

<p>Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing, "If we are going to recognise a government, we will have to wait till the government is formed". He added, "Only after that, will we come to the question of diplomatic recognition".</p>

<p>“It is a customary international practice that the recognition of a government comes after its formation. China’s position on the</p>

<p>Afghan issue is clear and consistent. We hope that Afghanistan can form an open, inclusive, and broadly representative government that echoes the widely shared aspirations of its own people and the international community,” Zhao said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/we-welcome-this-what-china-stands-to-benefit-from-rise-of-taliban-in-afghanistan-406064"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;'We welcome this': What China stands to benefit from rise of Taliban in Afghanistan</strong></a></p>

<p>When Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, a Chinese official said that China is ready to further enhance "friendly and cooperative" relations with the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also, throughout Washington's withdrawal from Afghanistan, Beijing tried to maintain unofficial ties with the Taliban.</p>

<p>Afghanistan and China share a 76-kilometer (47-mile) border and in the sensitive border region of Xinjiang, Beijing has long feared that Afghanistan might serve as a staging area for Uyghur separatists.</p>

<p>However, in Tianjin last month, a Taliban delegation met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, promising that Afghanistan wouldn't be used as a base for militants.</p>

<p>Chinese investment and economic support were offered in return for Afghanistan's reconstruction. &nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


China has said that it is waiting for the Taliban to establish an “open, inclusive, and broadly representative” government in Afghanistan before it decides on extending diplomatic recognition.

China has said that it is waiting for the Taliban to establish an “open, inclusive, and broadly representative” government in Afghanistan before it decides on extending diplomatic recognition. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing, "If we are going to recognise a government, we will have to wait till the government is formed". He added, "Only after that, will we come to the question of diplomatic recognition". “It is a customary international practice that the recognition of a government comes after its formation. China’s position on the Afghan issue is clear and consistent. We hope that Afghanistan can form an open, inclusive, and broadly representative government that echoes the widely shared aspirations of its own people and the international community,” Zhao said. Also read | 'We welcome this': What China stands to benefit from rise of Taliban in Afghanistan When Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, a Chinese official said that China is ready to further enhance "friendly and cooperative" relations with the country. Also, throughout Washington's withdrawal from Afghanistan, Beijing tried to maintain unofficial ties with the Taliban. Afghanistan and China share a 76-kilometer (47-mile) border and in the sensitive border region of Xinjiang, Beijing has long feared that Afghanistan might serve as a staging area for Uyghur separatists. However, in Tianjin last month, a Taliban delegation met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, promising that Afghanistan wouldn't be used as a base for militants. Chinese investment and economic support were offered in return for Afghanistan's reconstruction.

China waiting for government formation before extending diplomatic recognition to Taliban

After the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan last weekend, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said Afghanistan will no longer be able to access the lender's resources. An IMF spokesperson said it was due to "lack of clarity within the international community" over recognising a government in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan will no longer be able to access the lender's resources: IMF

While most of the western countries have denied accepting the Taliban's rule, some have promoted reconciliation. In the latest, the Afghan embassy Tajikistan has removed the picture of former President Ashraf Ghani. WION tracks the Taliban blitz and the resistance in Kabul.

Tracking the Taliban blitz and the resistance

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