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

The Taliban addressed their first press conference since taking over Kabul on Tuesday. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid asserted that the rights of women will be protected "within the limits of Islamic law".

Committed to the rights of women within Islamic law, says Taliban in first PC after Afghan takeover

India is trying to evacuate hundreds of its officials and citizens from the capital Kabul, which is gripped by fear and panic after the rapid developments.

India evacuates Indian nationals from Afghanistan

The lightning advance of the Taliban in retaking the country has led Afghan Americans, former generals and leading statesmen to blame President Joe Biden for a hasty US withdrawal. Former US President Donald Trump has also criticized Biden's actions.

Backlash grows against US President Joe Biden for withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

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 burqa was a symbol of the Taliban's oppressive regime from 1996 to 2001. As they capture power once again, Afghan women fear they will be relegated behind the burqa again. Shopkeepers say burqa sales have shot up since the Taliban takeover. Anas Mallick reports.

WION Ground Report: As Taliban capture Kabul, burqa shops are reopening in Afghanistan

In the last 20 years, Afghan women have built a career in the news media. The Taliban's return threatens their hard-earned professional success and fame. WION's Anas Mallick visited a major news station in Kabul and interacted with female journalists there.

WION Ground Report: Afghan female journalists remain worried about their own fate

Fall of Kabul: Striking photos point to uncertain future

Afghanistan has witnessed a huge rise in internally displaced people- since the withdrawal of US troops. WION's Anas Mallick travelled to one of the camps in Kabul to see what the situation is like.

WION Ground Report: Internally displaced Afghan families being sheltered at refugee camps

Afghans are scrambling to leave Kabul fearing persecution by the Taliban, but there are few who decided to stay even though they know that the dark days are coming, one of them is Afghanistan's last jew Zebulon Simentov.

Afghanistan's last Jew Zebulon Simentov decides to stay on  amid humanitarian crisis

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 Taliban gained control of Afghanistan, Amrullah Saleh, the country's first vice president, declared himself caretaker president.

"Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in the absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President. I am currently inside my country &amp; am the legitimate caretaker President. I am reaching out to all leaders to secure their support &amp; consensus," Saleh tweeted.

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Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President. I am currently inside my country &amp; am the legitimate care taker President. Am reaching out to all leaders to secure their support &amp; consensus.
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmrullahSaleh2/status/1427631191545589772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In the wake of Ghani’s surprise exodus from the country, Ghani had taken a defiant note saying he would "never bow" to the Taliban.&nbsp;

After news broke that Ghani had left on Sunday, Saleh tweeted saying, "I will never, ever &amp; under no circumstances bow to d Talib terrorists. I will never betray d soul &amp; legacy of my hero Ahmad Shah Masoud, the commander, the legend &amp; the guide. I won't disappoint the millions who listened to me. I will never be under one ceiling with Taliban. NEVER."

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I will never, ever &amp; under no circumstances bow to d Talib terrorists. I will never betray d soul &amp; legacy of my hero Ahmad Shah Masoud, the commander, the legend &amp; the guide. I won't dis-appoint millions who listened to me. I will never be under one ceiling with Taliban. NEVER.
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmrullahSaleh2/status/1426891637955907584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, who left the country on Sunday, said he left Kabul to avoid bloodshed and a "big human disaster" in the city of six million people, urging the Taliban to reveal their intentions and reassure the people who are unsure about their future after the insurgents took over the war-torn country.

Ghani, in his first comments after he left Afghanistan, said on Sunday he was faced with a "hard choice" between the "armed Taliban" who wanted to enter the Presidential Palace or "leaving the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting for the past 20 years".

(With inputs from agencies)

As the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan, Amrullah Saleh, the country's first vice president, declared himself caretaker president. "Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in the absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President.

As the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan, Amrullah Saleh, the country's first vice president, declared himself caretaker president. "Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in the absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President. I am currently inside my country & am the legitimate caretaker President. I am reaching out to all leaders to secure their support & consensus," Saleh tweeted. Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President. I am currently inside my country & am the legitimate care taker President. Am reaching out to all leaders to secure their support & consensus. — Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) August 17, 2021 × In the wake of Ghani’s surprise exodus from the country, Ghani had taken a defiant note saying he would "never bow" to the Taliban. After news broke that Ghani had left on Sunday, Saleh tweeted saying, "I will never, ever & under no circumstances bow to d Talib terrorists. I will never betray d soul & legacy of my hero Ahmad Shah Masoud, the commander, the legend & the guide. I won't disappoint the millions who listened to me. I will never be under one ceiling with Taliban. NEVER." I will never, ever & under no circumstances bow to d Talib terrorists. I will never betray d soul & legacy of my hero Ahmad Shah Masoud, the commander, the legend & the guide. I won't dis-appoint millions who listened to me. I will never be under one ceiling with Taliban. NEVER. — Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) August 15, 2021 × Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, who left the country on Sunday, said he left Kabul to avoid bloodshed and a "big human disaster" in the city of six million people, urging the Taliban to reveal their intentions and reassure the people who are unsure about their future after the insurgents took over the war-torn country. Ghani, in his first comments after he left Afghanistan, said on Sunday he was faced with a "hard choice" between the "armed Taliban" who wanted to enter the Presidential Palace or "leaving the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting for the past 20 years". (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President

In a recent statement, China has said that it is ready to deepen "friendly and cooperative" relations with the Taliban after its takeover of Afghanistan. "China respects the right of the Afghan people to independently determine their own destiny and is willing to continue to develop... friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

China says ready to deepen "friendly and cooperative" relations with the Taliban

A female anchor from ToloNews interviewed a top Taliban official in the studio today, which was unimaginable when the Taliban governed Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

TOLONews, one of Afghanistan's leading news organisations, has re-started broadcasting with female anchors today.&nbsp;

The channel's head of news Miraqa Popal made the announcement in a tweet.

"Our female presenter is interviewing a Taliban media team member live in our studio," Tolo's head of news, Miraqa Popal, wrote on Twitter.

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Our female presenter is interviewing a Taliban media team member live in our studio <a href="https://twitter.com/TOLOnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TOLOnews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> <a href="https://t.co/G6qq1KWKOH">pic.twitter.com/G6qq1KWKOH</a>
— Miraqa Popal (@MiraqaPopal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiraqaPopal/status/1427510763355246592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Earlier on, Popal said: "We resumed our broadcast with female anchors today. @TOLOnews #Afghanistan." Popal said, adding a photo of a female anchor presenting the news on the channel to his tweet.

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We resumed our broadcast with female anchors today.<a href="https://twitter.com/TOLOnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TOLOnews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> <a href="https://t.co/YLqtJEYceL">pic.twitter.com/YLqtJEYceL</a>
— Miraqa Popal (@MiraqaPopal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiraqaPopal/status/1427497536219123712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Women journalists were also seen reporting live from Kabul's streets.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>: A female Afghan journalist of <a href="https://twitter.com/TOLOnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TOLOnews</a> reporting live today from the streets of Kabul. <a href="https://t.co/dyRZM3m9bh">pic.twitter.com/dyRZM3m9bh</a>
— Ahmer Khan (@ahmermkhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ahmermkhan/status/1427533306124324866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Since the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15, women have been conspicuously absent from all major Afghan news networks.&nbsp;

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TOLOnews and the Taliban making history again: Abdul Haq Hammad, senior Taliban rep, speaking to our (female) presenter Beheshta earlier this morning. Unthinkable two decades ago when they were last in charge ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/TOLOnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TOLOnews</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/XzREQ6ZJ1a">pic.twitter.com/XzREQ6ZJ1a</a>
— Saad Mohseni (@saadmohseni) <a href="https://twitter.com/saadmohseni/status/1427531355538272269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)

A female anchor from ToloNews interviewed a top Taliban official in the studio today, which was unimaginable when the Taliban governed Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

A female anchor from ToloNews interviewed a top Taliban official in the studio today, which was unimaginable when the Taliban governed Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. TOLONews, one of Afghanistan's leading news organisations, has re-started broadcasting with female anchors today. The channel's head of news Miraqa Popal made the announcement in a tweet. "Our female presenter is interviewing a Taliban media team member live in our studio," Tolo's head of news, Miraqa Popal, wrote on Twitter. Our female presenter is interviewing a Taliban media team member live in our studio @TOLOnews #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/G6qq1KWKOH — Miraqa Popal (@MiraqaPopal) August 17, 2021 × Earlier on, Popal said: "We resumed our broadcast with female anchors today. @TOLOnews #Afghanistan." Popal said, adding a photo of a female anchor presenting the news on the channel to his tweet. We resumed our broadcast with female anchors today.@TOLOnews #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/YLqtJEYceL — Miraqa Popal (@MiraqaPopal) August 17, 2021 × Women journalists were also seen reporting live from Kabul's streets. #Afghanistan: A female Afghan journalist of @TOLOnews reporting live today from the streets of Kabul. pic.twitter.com/dyRZM3m9bh — Ahmer Khan (@ahmermkhan) August 17, 2021 × Since the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15, women have been conspicuously absent from all major Afghan news networks. TOLOnews and the Taliban making history again: Abdul Haq Hammad, senior Taliban rep, speaking to our (female) presenter Beheshta earlier this morning. Unthinkable two decades ago when they were last in charge ⁦@TOLOnews⁩ pic.twitter.com/XzREQ6ZJ1a — Saad Mohseni (@saadmohseni) August 17, 2021 × (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan female TV anchors defy Taliban by continuing to present on news channel

According to National Centre for Seismology, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake hit <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-afghanistan-crisis-us-takes-charge-of-air-traffic-at-kabul-airport-as-taliban-consolidates-406158">Afghanistan's</a> Fayzabad area on Tuesday morning.

The quake reportedly took place at 6:08am(local time) in northeast Afghanistan. Fayzabad is located in Badakhshan province and is known as a commercial and administrative centre.

There were no reports of casualties so far. "Earthquake of magnitude: 4.5, Occurred on 17-08-2021, 06:08:38 IST, Lat: 36.65 &amp; Long: 71.30, Depth: 230 Km,Location: 83km SE of Fayzabad," the National Centre of Seismology said.

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Earthquake of Magnitude:4.5, Occurred on 17-08-2021, 06:08:38 IST, Lat: 36.65 &amp; Long: 71.30, Depth: 230 Km ,Location: 83km SE of Fayzabad, Afghanistan for more information download the BhooKamp App <a href="https://t.co/L99HrsAFP7">https://t.co/L99HrsAFP7</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ndmaindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ndmaindia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Indiametdept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Indiametdept</a> <a href="https://t.co/IpvUqlN9mx">pic.twitter.com/IpvUqlN9mx</a>
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) <a href="https://twitter.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1427436095512272899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In 2015 an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 had hit South Asia with its epicentre &nbsp;in Alaqahdari-ye Kiran wan Munjan in Afghanistan. The quake had led to the death of at least 399 people in Pakistan.

In 2009, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake had hit Afghanistan's Fayzabad in Badakhshan with landslides killing at least 3 people.

Fayzabad&nbsp;also has an airport which is reportedly used by the Afghan Air Force.

Afghanistan has been shocked by the&nbsp;takeover of the <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">Taliban</a> in recent days with thousands of citizens preparing to leave the country as US officials pull out of the country.

(With inputs from Agencies)

According to National Centre for Seismology, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan's Fayzabad area on Tuesday morning. The quake reportedly took place at 6:08am(local time) in northeast Afghanistan.

According to National Centre for Seismology, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan's Fayzabad area on Tuesday morning. The quake reportedly took place at 6:08am(local time) in northeast Afghanistan. Fayzabad is located in Badakhshan province and is known as a commercial and administrative centre. There were no reports of casualties so far. "Earthquake of magnitude: 4.5, Occurred on 17-08-2021, 06:08:38 IST, Lat: 36.65 & Long: 71.30, Depth: 230 Km,Location: 83km SE of Fayzabad," the National Centre of Seismology said. Earthquake of Magnitude:4.5, Occurred on 17-08-2021, 06:08:38 IST, Lat: 36.65 & Long: 71.30, Depth: 230 Km ,Location: 83km SE of Fayzabad, Afghanistan for more information download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/L99HrsAFP7@ndmaindia @Indiametdept pic.twitter.com/IpvUqlN9mx — National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) August 17, 2021 × In 2015 an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 had hit South Asia with its epicentre in Alaqahdari-ye Kiran wan Munjan in Afghanistan. The quake had led to the death of at least 399 people in Pakistan. In 2009, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake had hit Afghanistan's Fayzabad in Badakhshan with landslides killing at least 3 people. Fayzabad also has an airport which is reportedly used by the Afghan Air Force. Afghanistan has been shocked by the takeover of the Taliban in recent days with thousands of citizens preparing to leave the country as US officials pull out of the country. (With inputs from Agencies)

4.5-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan's Fayzabad

A total of 127 people landed in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu on Tuesday from Afghanistan including 118 Nepalis and nine Indians. All evacuees have been taken to an isolation center in Kathmandu.

127 people, including 9 Indians, land in Kathmandu from Afghanistan

Taliban are racing to restore some form of normalcy in the capital Kabul asking the government staff to return to work. But on the streets of the Afghanistan capital, there is panic.

Afghanistan: Taliban race to restore normalcy in capital city Kabul

Kabul has fallen and most of Afghanistan is under the Taliban's control. Thousands of Afghans are making desperate attempts to leave the country. Top Afghan leaders have also fled. However, the big question is where is Ashraf Ghani? Earlier reports mentioned that Ghani had left for Tajikistan following the Taliban's capture of Kabul.

Reports: Tajikistan refused permission to Ashraf Ghani's aircraft

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:

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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

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

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

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

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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security against the backdrop of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

The Cabinet Committee on Security is the apex government body that deals with the issues of national security.

Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the meeting, besides senior officials.

While official sources confirmed the meeting, but there was no word on what transpired there.

Sources said those present in the meeting also included National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, as also India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Rudrendra Tandon, who returned to India on Tuesday itself.

India has brought back the Indian ambassador and all staff members from its embassy in Kabul in two military transport aircraft in the wake of escalating tension and deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital after its takeover by the Taliban.

A military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force brought back from Kabul around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians on Tuesday.

Another flight had evacuated around 40 staffers from Kabul on Monday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the MEA said that the immediate priority for the government is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently staying in Afghanistan.

India on Tuesday said the evacuation of its embassy staff from Kabul has been completed and the focus now would be to ensure the safe return of all Indian nationals from the Afghan capital in view of the prevailing situation in the country.

India has brought back the Indian ambassador and all staff members from its embassy in Kabul in two military transport aircraft in the wake of escalating tension and deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital after its takeover by the Taliban.

In a tweet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the movement from Kabul to India was a "difficult and complicated" exercise and thanked all those whose cooperation and facilitation made it possible.

"In view of the prevailing situation in Kabul, it was decided that our Embassy personnel would be immediately moved to India. This movement has been completed in two phases and the Ambassador and all other India-based personnel have reached New Delhi this afternoon," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The statement by the MEA came soon after a military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force brought back from Kabul around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians.

Another flight evacuated around 40 staffers from Kabul on Monday.

The MEA said the immediate priority for the government is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently staying in Afghanistan.

It also requested the Indians as well as their employers to urgently share the relevant details with MEA's Special Afghanistan Cell that has been set up to coordinate evacuation.

"The main challenge for travel to and from Afghanistan is the operational status of Kabul airport. This has been discussed at high levels with our partners, including by the External Affairs Minister with the US Secretary of State," the MEA said.

"Government of India is committed to the safe return of all Indian nationals and will institute flight arrangements once Kabul airport is open for commercial operations," it said.

A contingent of 99 ITBP commandos along with three sniffer dogs landed at the Hindon IAF base on Tuesday onboard a military evacuation flight from Taliban-captured Afghanistan, officials said.

The commandos also brought back their personal weapons and belongings and will now undergo a week-long COVID-19 quarantine at a Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) facility in Delhi, they said.

"With this, our complete contingent deployed for securing the Embassy in Kabul, its four consulates in Afghanistan and diplomats have returned. The commandos came along with the Embassy staffers along with other Indian nationals," ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey said.

The commandos were taken away in brown-coloured ITBP buses from the Hindon airbase to the quarantine facility.

A senior officer said the commandos also carried along their personal AK series assault weapons, bullet-proof jackets, helmets, communication gadgets, ammunition and three sniffer dogs.

Thirty diplomats including Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Rudrendra Tandon, 99 ITBP commandos and 21 civilians were onboard the C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) that took off from the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul this morning and made a halt at the Jamnagar airforce base before touching down at Hindon in Ghaziabad near here in the evening, he said.

There were four journalists among the 21 civilians, he said.

The ITBP had deployed over 300 commandos for security duties in Afghanistan.

The force was first deployed to secure the premises of the Kabul Embassy, diplomats and staffers in November, 2002.

It later sent its additional detachments to similarly guard Indian consulates located in Jalalabad, Kandhar, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat.

The detachments from the consulates have already been withdrawn after they were shut recently due to the current crisis in the country and also due to negligible footfall as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe.

The ITBP also was deployed to secure the Delaram-Zaranj road project that was executed by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) between 2005-08.

A number of ITBP commandos were also killed in various terrorist attacks that took place during these duties and many of them were decorated with gallantry medals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security against the backdrop of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The Cabinet Committee on Security is the apex government body that deals with the issues of national security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security against the backdrop of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The Cabinet Committee on Security is the apex government body that deals with the issues of national security. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the meeting, besides senior officials. While official sources confirmed the meeting, but there was no word on what transpired there. Sources said those present in the meeting also included National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, as also India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Rudrendra Tandon, who returned to India on Tuesday itself. India has brought back the Indian ambassador and all staff members from its embassy in Kabul in two military transport aircraft in the wake of escalating tension and deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital after its takeover by the Taliban. A military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force brought back from Kabul around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians on Tuesday. Another flight had evacuated around 40 staffers from Kabul on Monday. Earlier on Tuesday, the MEA said that the immediate priority for the government is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently staying in Afghanistan. India on Tuesday said the evacuation of its embassy staff from Kabul has been completed and the focus now would be to ensure the safe return of all Indian nationals from the Afghan capital in view of the prevailing situation in the country. India has brought back the Indian ambassador and all staff members from its embassy in Kabul in two military transport aircraft in the wake of escalating tension and deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital after its takeover by the Taliban. In a tweet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the movement from Kabul to India was a "difficult and complicated" exercise and thanked all those whose cooperation and facilitation made it possible. "In view of the prevailing situation in Kabul, it was decided that our Embassy personnel would be immediately moved to India. This movement has been completed in two phases and the Ambassador and all other India-based personnel have reached New Delhi this afternoon," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The statement by the MEA came soon after a military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force brought back from Kabul around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians. Another flight evacuated around 40 staffers from Kabul on Monday. The MEA said the immediate priority for the government is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently staying in Afghanistan. It also requested the Indians as well as their employers to urgently share the relevant details with MEA's Special Afghanistan Cell that has been set up to coordinate evacuation. "The main challenge for travel to and from Afghanistan is the operational status of Kabul airport. This has been discussed at high levels with our partners, including by the External Affairs Minister with the US Secretary of State," the MEA said. "Government of India is committed to the safe return of all Indian nationals and will institute flight arrangements once Kabul airport is open for commercial operations," it said. A contingent of 99 ITBP commandos along with three sniffer dogs landed at the Hindon IAF base on Tuesday onboard a military evacuation flight from Taliban-captured Afghanistan, officials said. The commandos also brought back their personal weapons and belongings and will now undergo a week-long COVID-19 quarantine at a Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) facility in Delhi, they said. "With this, our complete contingent deployed for securing the Embassy in Kabul, its four consulates in Afghanistan and diplomats have returned. The commandos came along with the Embassy staffers along with other Indian nationals," ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey said. The commandos were taken away in brown-coloured ITBP buses from the Hindon airbase to the quarantine facility. A senior officer said the commandos also carried along their personal AK series assault weapons, bullet-proof jackets, helmets, communication gadgets, ammunition and three sniffer dogs. Thirty diplomats including Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Rudrendra Tandon, 99 ITBP commandos and 21 civilians were onboard the C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) that took off from the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul this morning and made a halt at the Jamnagar airforce base before touching down at Hindon in Ghaziabad near here in the evening, he said. There were four journalists among the 21 civilians, he said. The ITBP had deployed over 300 commandos for security duties in Afghanistan. The force was first deployed to secure the premises of the Kabul Embassy, diplomats and staffers in November, 2002. It later sent its additional detachments to similarly guard Indian consulates located in Jalalabad, Kandhar, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat. The detachments from the consulates have already been withdrawn after they were shut recently due to the current crisis in the country and also due to negligible footfall as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe. The ITBP also was deployed to secure the Delaram-Zaranj road project that was executed by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) between 2005-08. A number of ITBP commandos were also killed in various terrorist attacks that took place during these duties and many of them were decorated with gallantry medals.

Afghan crisis: PM chairs meeting with Doval, Foreign Secretary Shringla; India completes evacuation of diplomats

Russia's embassy in Kabul said that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had fled the country with four cars and a chopper full of cash and some money was left lying on the tarmac.

Russian Embassy: Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan with four cars, chopper full of cash

Barely a day after it took over Kabul, the Taliban is controlling the streets of Afghanistan's capital. WION's Correspondent Anas Mallick captured what Kabul looks like after the Taliban takeover.

Gravitas | Kabul after Taliban Capture: Through the eyes of a WION Correspondent

Afghans are now paying for America's mistakes. In a desperate bid to flee, Afghans tried to cling to a US Air Force plane. A horrifying video shows at least two people falling from the sky after the plane took off. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas | The Afghanistan crisis: Afghans are paying for America's mistakes

The United States insists that the mission in Afghanistan was a success, even after the Taliban's blitz to Kabul. Did the US downplay the threat of Taliban invasion? Or was it disconnected from the ground reality? Molly Gambhir tells you.

Gravitas: America's capitulation hands Kabul to Taliban

What security challenges does the Taliban's return pose for India? How should New Delhi deal with the Taliban? Molly Gambhir gets you a report.

Gravitas: How should India deal with the Taliban?

What does the Taliban's return mean for the people of Afghanistan? For women, it spells the end of all liberties. Molly Gambhir gets you a report.

Gravitas: The return of the Islamic Emirate

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday that more than 40 thousand wounded during Afghanistan fighting have been treated since June at health facilities supported by it. This includes 7,600 so far this month.

ICRC treated 4042 during first 10 days of August. This means that more than 3500 were treated in past week as the Taliban captured large swathes of territory in Afghanistan including Kabul.

ICRC director-general Robert Mardini voiced relief that "devastating urban warfare" was avoided in Kabul when the Taliban fighters advanced into the city.

"Our medical teams and physical rehabilitation centres expect to receive patients for months and years to come as they recover from wounds from explosive devices that litter the country, many of them newly laid in recent weeks," he said in a statement.

"It is heartbreaking to see our wards filled with children and young men and women who have lost limbs," he added.

The ICRC, which has worked in Afghanistan since 1987, deploys some 1,800 national and international staff, including surgical teams, spokesman Florian Seriex said.

(With inputs from agencies)

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday that more than 40 thousand wounded during Afghanistan fighting have been treated since June at health facilities supported by it.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday that more than 40 thousand wounded during Afghanistan fighting have been treated since June at health facilities supported by it. This includes 7,600 so far this month. ICRC treated 4042 during first 10 days of August. This means that more than 3500 were treated in past week as the Taliban captured large swathes of territory in Afghanistan including Kabul. ICRC director-general Robert Mardini voiced relief that "devastating urban warfare" was avoided in Kabul when the Taliban fighters advanced into the city. "Our medical teams and physical rehabilitation centres expect to receive patients for months and years to come as they recover from wounds from explosive devices that litter the country, many of them newly laid in recent weeks," he said in a statement. "It is heartbreaking to see our wards filled with children and young men and women who have lost limbs," he added. The ICRC, which has worked in Afghanistan since 1987, deploys some 1,800 national and international staff, including surgical teams, spokesman Florian Seriex said. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan: More than 40,000 wounded treated since June, says Red Cross

The Taliban is establishing its "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". What options does the global community have? Molly Gambhir discusses with a special panel of guests.

Gravitas | The Afghan Crisis: What's the way forward

The Russian Kalashnikov AK-47 and its derivatives have long been the assault rifle of choice for militant groups because of their rugged design, but some Taliban fighters are trading them in for captured U.S. guns as Afghanistan's government collapses.

Video and pictures published by the Taliban on Twitter and elsewhere show fighters carrying M4 carbines and M16 rifles discarded by Afghan army units. Other images show Taliban forces capturing abandoned government vehicles.

The U.S. guns are more accurate and have greater range than the their AK-47s, but on their own may not deliver much added capability on the battlefield.

"Some of the hardware might be useful to have if looking to intimidate rival warlords, but that's about it," said Grant Newsham, a retired United States Marine Corps colonel. "They’ve done rather well with what they already had."

Still, the image of U.S.-made weapons in the hands of the Taliban as it sweeps aside the Afghan National Army - funded with billions of dollars from the U.S. government over the past two decades - is a propaganda coup for the militants.

Many of the AK-47s in Afghanistan are copies, but some were left over from the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended in 1989. First manufactured just after the end of World War Two, based on a German design, the assault rifle has since become common around the world in the arsenals of governments and insurgent groups.

The American weapons could be in service with the Taliban for years because of plentiful ammunition supplies. The 5.56mm round it fires is available to civilian gun owners in the United States.

"The Russians crank out millions of rounds of AR 5.56 NATO each year for the U.S. market under the brand names of Tula, Wolf, and Red Army just to name a few," said another retired U.S. Marines officer, who asked not to be identified because his current employer does not allow him to talk to the media.

"I suspect the Taliban's allies will have no trouble supplying parts for just about any infantry system," he added.

The Russian Kalashnikov AK-47 and its derivatives have long been the assault rifle of choice for militant groups because of their rugged design, but some Taliban fighters are trading them in for captured U.

The Russian Kalashnikov AK-47 and its derivatives have long been the assault rifle of choice for militant groups because of their rugged design, but some Taliban fighters are trading them in for captured U.S. guns as Afghanistan's government collapses. Video and pictures published by the Taliban on Twitter and elsewhere show fighters carrying M4 carbines and M16 rifles discarded by Afghan army units. Other images show Taliban forces capturing abandoned government vehicles. The U.S. guns are more accurate and have greater range than the their AK-47s, but on their own may not deliver much added capability on the battlefield. "Some of the hardware might be useful to have if looking to intimidate rival warlords, but that's about it," said Grant Newsham, a retired United States Marine Corps colonel. "They’ve done rather well with what they already had." Still, the image of U.S.-made weapons in the hands of the Taliban as it sweeps aside the Afghan National Army - funded with billions of dollars from the U.S. government over the past two decades - is a propaganda coup for the militants. Many of the AK-47s in Afghanistan are copies, but some were left over from the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended in 1989. First manufactured just after the end of World War Two, based on a German design, the assault rifle has since become common around the world in the arsenals of governments and insurgent groups. The American weapons could be in service with the Taliban for years because of plentiful ammunition supplies. The 5.56mm round it fires is available to civilian gun owners in the United States. "The Russians crank out millions of rounds of AR 5.56 NATO each year for the U.S. market under the brand names of Tula, Wolf, and Red Army just to name a few," said another retired U.S. Marines officer, who asked not to be identified because his current employer does not allow him to talk to the media. "I suspect the Taliban's allies will have no trouble supplying parts for just about any infantry system," he added.

As Taliban takes over, some swap iconic AK-47s for made-in-America rifles

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