Last Updated on 23/01/2022
The Taliban began entering the Afghan capital, Kabul.
The Afghan Interior Ministry has also confirmed that the Taliban are entering Kabul from all sides.
According to foreign media, government offices in Kabul have been evacuated while shops have also been closed in some areas.
According to sources, the Taliban say that the Mujahideen do not intend to enter Kabul through war or force, and the Taliban are in talks with Afghan officials for a peaceful surrender of Kabul.
Related: Flights at Kabul Airport have Been Temporarily Suspended
NATO officials say several members of the European Union’s staff have moved to an undisclosed location in Kabul, while a US official says there are fewer than 50 US embassy staff in Kabul.
Smoke billowed from the US embassy
Sources said that some helicopters were seen approaching the US embassy this morning, indicating that the US had withdrawn its diplomatic staff from there.
Sources also said that sensitive documents of the US embassy have been burnt and smoke was seen coming out of the embassy.
The Taliban do not want to injure or kill lonely and innocent Afghans
“We have not declared a ceasefire, but we do not want to injure or kill any lonely and innocent Afghan citizen,” the Taliban leaders told the foreign news agency, announcing no retaliation.
According to media reports, the Taliban are also announcing to give way to those leaving Kabul city and to evacuate women and children to a safe place.
Taliban announces amnesty
On the other hand, Sohail Shaheen, spokesman for the Afghan Taliban’s political office, announced a general amnesty in the country, saying that the doors of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan were open to all those who helped the attackers.
Sohail Shaheen said that we have forgiven before and once again we invite everyone to come and serve the nation and country.
Taliban fighters have entered the Afghan capital, Kabul, and after promising not to seize it by force, say they are waiting for a peaceful transfer of power.
According to foreign news agencies, an official said that the Taliban were entering from all sides, but did not provide further details.
The militants have vowed not to seize the capital, Kabul, by force.
Significant developments today
The Taliban say they will not seize Kabul by force.
Taliban negotiators leave for the presidential palace to discuss the transfer of power
Helicopters arrive at the US Embassy for evacuation
Taliban seize Jalalabad
In an online statement, the Taliban said they had instructed their fighters not to cross the gates of Kabul and seize control of the city by force.
“Negotiations are underway to ensure a safe transfer of power without compromising the lives, property and dignity of the citizens of Kabul,” he said.
A Taliban spokesman told Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera that they were awaiting a peaceful transfer to Kabul, but declined to give details of talks between the militants and the government.
However, insisting on the details of the agreement, Shaheen admitted that he was demanding the unconditional surrender of the central government.
A Taliban official told the news agency that the group did not want any casualties in gaining power but had not declared a ceasefire.
Taliban negotiators left for the Afghan presidential palace to discuss a peaceful transfer of power, with officials saying it was unclear when the transfer would take place.
Acting Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said Kabul will not be attacked and that the transition will happen peacefully.
He assures Kabul residents that security forces will ensure the security of the city. pic.twitter.com/uim9LVqn9q
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 15, 2021
On the other hand, in a video statement, the Afghan acting interior minister said that Kabul would not be attacked and the transfer of power would take place in a peaceful atmosphere.
US president approves 1,000 more troops
US President Joe Biden has approved the deployment of 1,000 more troops for the safe evacuation of Americans in Afghanistan, bringing the total number of US troops assigned to the safe evacuation to 5,000.
According to the report of the news agency AP, the US military personnel will also help in the evacuation of Afghans who have been working with the foreign forces during the two decades long war.
The last-minute deployment of thousands of US troops reflects the dire security situation in Afghanistan.
Just last week, a US intelligence report said that the occupation of Kabul could take up to three months.
A US official said key members of the US team were working at Kabul airports, while NATO officials said European crew members had been evacuated to an unknown location in the capital.
Earlier, it was announced that there would be 1,000 US troops for the evacuation of American citizens, but the authorities found the number insufficient. The announcement came out.
Taliban capture Jalalabad without resistance
A tweet from the Afghan presidential palace said gunfire was heard at several locations around Kabul, but security forces were taking control of the city with international partners.
Earlier, the Taliban captured the Afghan city of Jalalabad without resistance or fighting, after which the Afghan government’s control was limited to the capital, Kabul.
The fall of Dzhalal-Abad also gave the Taliban control of the road that connects the Pakistani city of Peshawar with Afghanistan and is one of the country’s most important highways, Reuters reported.
Earlier, the Taliban had captured the country’s fourth largest city, Mazar-e-Sharif, which was promised to be defended by two former warlords, giving the Taliban control of the entire northern part of Afghanistan.
An Afghan official in Dzhalal-Abad said there was no fighting in the city because the governor had surrendered to the Taliban and giving way to them was the only way to save civilian lives.
Another security official said the Taliban had agreed to provide a safe passage for government officials and security forces if they left Jalalabad.
On Saturday, Taliban fighters entered Mazar-e-Sharif without resistance as security forces fled the highway to neighboring Uzbekistan.
Authorities said on condition of anonymity that two of the Afghan president’s allies, Warlords Atta Muhammad Noor and Abdul Rashid Dostum, had fled to Uzbekistan.
An unverified video that went viral on social media shows Afghan army vehicles and uniformed men gathering on an iron bridge between the Afghan towns of Hairatan and Uzbekistan.
On the other hand, the militants posted pictures and videos on Sunday morning in which they can be seen in the governor’s office in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province.
Staff at the US embassy in Kabul have been ordered to start burning sensitive material, while European countries, including Britain, Germany, Denmark and Spain, have announced the withdrawal of personnel from their respective embassies.
Thousands of Kabul residents, as well as those seeking refuge in the capital, are feeling fear and insecurity.
Taliban advance
It should be noted that the United States first launched attacks against the Taliban government in Afghanistan in 2001, which was the result of the 9/11 attacks.
However, to end the two-decade-long war, the United States negotiated a peace deal with the Taliban in February last year, which agreed to the withdrawal of foreign troops and the Afghan government’s negotiations with the Taliban.
The ongoing fighting in Afghanistan has changed dramatically since May this year, when the US-led withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan was announced and will be completed before the end of this month.
In view of this, the Taliban first seized key border areas and then proceeded to seize the provincial capitals with lightning speed.
A few days ago, a US report predicted that the Taliban could capture Kabul in 30 days.
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