Alex McCurthy
Afghanistan’s embattled President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as the Taliban moved further into Kabul, authorities said. His compatriots and foreigners are racing to withdraw, marking the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at reshaping Afghanistan.
Two officials told that Ghani flew out of the country and requested anonymity because they were not authorized. Notify reporters. Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the Afghanistan National Reconciliation Commission, later confirmed in an online video that Ghani had left Afghanistan. “He left Afghanistan in a difficult time, and God holds him accountable,” Abdullah said. The cruel rule almost deprived women of their rights.
She rushed out of the country and lined up in front of the ATM to withdraw her life savings. Helicopters roared to evacuate the American Embassy personnel, as they destroyed important documents and smoke rose near the compound. Several other Western missions are also preparing to evacuate their people. Although the United States and NATO have invested billions of dollars in strengthening the security of Afghanistan in the past two decades, the Taliban have occupied almost all areas of Afghanistan with alarming failures in just over a week. cash. Just a few days ago, an assessment by the US military estimated that the capital would not be under pressure from the insurgents until a month later. Instead, the Taliban quickly defeated, co-opted, or sent Afghan security forces to flee large areas of the country, even with some air support from the US military.
This is the last minute update. Kabul, Afghanistan (AP)-Officials said that Taliban militants entered Kabul on Sunday and sought the unconditional surrender of the central government as Afghans and foreigners rushed to evacuate, marking the end of the 20-year Western war. An experiment aimed at reshaping Afghanistan. At the same time, the embattled Afghan government looks forward to the establishment of an interim government, but there are fewer and fewer cards to play. The civilians worried that the Taliban might re-impose this brutal government that actually deprived women of their rights. They hurriedly left the country and lined up in front of the ATM to withdraw their life savings. Complex staff destroy important documents. Several other Western missions are also preparing to evacuate their people.
Although the United States and NATO have invested billions of dollars in strengthening the security of Afghanistan in the past two decades, the Taliban have occupied almost all areas of Afghanistan with alarming failures in just over a week. cash. Just a few days ago, an assessment by the US military estimated that the capital would not be under pressure from the insurgents until a month later. On the contrary, despite some air support provided by the US military, the Taliban quickly defeated, wooed or dispatched Afghan security forces to flee large areas of the country. On Sunday, the insurgents entered the outskirts of Kabul, but apparently remained outside the city center. Although the streets are basically quiet, sporadic gunfire is still heard from time to time.
Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told Al Jazeera’s English satellite news channel that the insurgents are “waiting for a peaceful transfer in Kabul City”. He declined to provide details of possible negotiations between his troops and the government, but when asked what kind of deal the Taliban wanted, Shaheen admitted that they were seeking the unconditional surrender of the central government. An Afghan official who asked not to be named said that the issue of the transfer of power was discussed. It is unclear when the transfer will take place and who in the Taliban is negotiating. An official said that the government’s negotiators include former President Hamid Karzai and the chairman of the Afghanistan National Reconciliation Commission Abdullah Abdullah.
Abdullah publicly criticized President Ashraf Ghani, who has long refused to give up his power to reach an agreement with the Taliban. The official, who asked not to be named, discussed the details of the closed-door negotiations, calling them “nervous.” “Karzai himself appeared in a video posted online with his three young daughters beside him, saying that he was staying in Kabul.” We are trying to resolve the Afghanistan issue peacefully with the Taliban leader,” he said, at the same time The roar of passersby President Ghani seems to be increasingly isolated. The warlord who negotiated with him a few days ago either surrendered to the Taliban or flee, leaving him no choice. Negotiations in Doha, Qatar failed, and the Taliban’s office was located to prevent the rebellion. However, Acting Secretary of Defense Bismirah Khan tried to assure the public that Kabul would remain “safe”. The home or the business would be disrupted.
They also stated that they would provide an “amnesty” to those working with him. The Afghan government Or foreign troops. “No one’s life, property, or dignity will be harmed, and the lives of Kabul citizens will not be threatened,” he added. But there are reports that the Taliban have taken over retaliatory killings and killings in the country’s regions in recent days. Other barbaric tactics. The last route to leave the country because the Taliban now controls all border crossings. An Afghan university student described feeling betrayed while watching the U.S. embassy withdraw. “You have failed the younger generation in Afghanistan,” Aisha Khurram, 22, said she is now not sure if she can graduate within two months. “The generation that grew up in modern Afghanistan wants to build the country with their own hands. They have put their blood, hard work, and sweat on everything we have now.” The fast helicopter flight near the US Embassy began on Sunday, right in front of the militants. A few hours after taking over the nearby city of Jalalabad, Jalalabad is the last major city outside the capital. Not in the hands of the Taliban. The United States decided a few days ago to send thousands of soldiers to help evacuate some people.
Two officials said on Sunday that American diplomats are being transferred from the embassy to the airport. Military helicopters move between the embassy compound and the airport. In view of safety conditions, the central presence will be maintained for as long as possible. These officials have no right to discuss diplomatic measures and speak on condition of anonymity. At the same time, wisps of green smoke can be seen. According to two U.S. military officials who asked not to be named, they were near the roof of the embassy when diplomats were urgently destroying sensitive documents. Over time, the smog in the area became thicker and thicker, and embassies of other countries were also located there. In an interview with CNN on Sunday morning, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tried to refuse any comparison between the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam. The war, said, “This is not Saigon.” However, he acknowledged that there are “vacancies” in the Afghan security forces. “From the perspective of our strategic competitors around the world, they most want to see us stay in Afghanistan for another 5, 10, 20 years,” he said. “This is not in the national interest.”
At the same time, NATO stated that it is “helping to maintain the operation of Kabul Airport in order to maintain the connection between Afghanistan and the world.” Low-cost airline FlyDubai said it will suspend flights to Kabul. On Sunday, he circled the flight to the capital like Emirates. Emirates said that “unforeseen temporary runway closures” prevented it from landing. Earlier in the day, the militants posted photos online showing them in the governor’s office in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar Province. Abraruullah Murad, a lawmaker in the province, told the New York Times “.
Stated that after the elders negotiated the collapse of the local government, the rebels took over the city. Afghan officials said the militants also occupied the provincial capitals of Maidan Wardak, Khost, Kabisa and Parwan. The insurgents also occupied the last land border in Tolkham. Not under your control, Sunday. Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told the local broadcaster Geo TV that Pakistan stopped cross-border traffic there after the militants occupied it. Later, the Afghan army at Bagram Air Base surrendered to the Taliban, which is a prison for 5,000 prisoners. District Chief Darwaish Raufi.
The prison of the former US base holds Taliban and Islamic State fighters. Akhgar and Faiez reported from Istanbul, and Gambrell from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Kathy Gannon in Guelph, Canada, Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem, James LaPorta and Matthew Lee in Washington, Aya Batrawy in Dubai, and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.
