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Rabat – Islamic military organization in Afghanistan, the Taliban, have taken over the presidential palace in Afghani capital Kabul, with President Ashraf Ghani fleeing the country. Ghani’s whereabouts are currently unknown.
A Taliban spokesperson announced that the group has full control of the capital in a tweet. “No one is allowed to go to the houses of former officials, ask for their vehicles, or threaten them,” the statement added.
The Taliban took control of Kabul as a result of a military offensive that began earlier this year, as the US and its allies started withdrawing their troops from the country.
The US defense secretary deployed an additional 1,000 troops to Afghanistan to join the 5,000 soldiers already there to assist with the rapidly deteriorating security circumstances in the country.
The self-imposed deadline for the US and allied military withdrawal is on August 31, though it remains to be seen if the military presence will be extended in light of the recent developments.
US President Joe Biden is scheduled to address his country shortly regarding the unfolding situation in Afghanistan, a national security advisor announced.
Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport is currently experiencing chaos according to reports, as citizens are trying to flee the country, with crowds of people on the tarmac and various clips of people clinging on the outsides of US military planes in an effort to escape.
The Taliban have told media sources that their new government will have non-Taliban Afghans, and that any police and army forces that hand over their weapons and join the Taliban will be guaranteed protection and amnesty.
Reports from the capital tell of “surreal scenes that Afghans didn’t think possible before”, with Taliban fighters standing relaxed outside key sites like the US embassy and the presidential palace.
Several countries have evacuated their diplomats and citizens from Kabul, with countries like Australia planning to send troops to the country later for the sole purpose of supporting evacuation efforts.
The UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace also said that they are evacuating as many people as possible, but also stated that “some people won’t get back” in an interview with LBC Radio.
It is unclear what the future holds for Afghanistan under Taliban control currently.
When asked about how civilians and particularly women will be treated under them, Taliban officials said that they will not implement drastic and immediate changes, but that Afghans want to live under Muslim law.
Women have been reportedly asked to cover their heads and wear niqabs to avoid trouble with the Taliban, but officials have said that they plan to allow women to continue education from primary school to higher education.
The spokesperson also said that diplomats can continue to work in Kabul, including the US embassy, but it remains to be seen how other states will respond to the takeover.
Russia said that it will wait to make a decision on whether it will recognize the Taliban or not, saying that it will be dependent on the behavior of the group. China on the other hand said that it respects the Afghan people’s choice and hopes that Taliban will ensure a smooth transition.
