With every other major Afghan city already in the hands of the Taliban, and the U.S. evacuation of its citizens “well underway” on Sunday, the militant group is now at the gates of Kabul. The Islamic group that the U.S. promised to destroy two decades ago issued a statement saying they would “stay at the gates of Kabul and not enter the city. Until the transition takes place.” But by mid morning, reports from inside Kabul implied that some fighters were already inside the city. Early Sunday morning, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani’s official Twitter account announced that Kabul had not fallen, though it confirmed gunshots on the outskirts of the city. Later in the day, unconfirmed reports swirled that Ghani had defected amid calls for his resignation, which would pave the way for the Taliban to be handed power of the entire country.
Local media reported on Sunday, that senior Afghan government officials were already saying they would hand over power to a transitional administration, and a Taliban spokesman told CNN talks about a handover were underway.
The utter collapse of the Afghan army—after years of training by the U.S.—is a humiliation for President Biden just weeks after he ordered troops out of the country. The threat to millions of women and children under Islamist rule will be a permanent stain on his legacy. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was still tweeting about “diplomatic and political efforts” on Saturday as the Taliban marched towards the capital.
The Taliban has largely taken Afghanistan without much of a fight, leaving the spoils of war—including military equipment and ammunition supplied by the U.S.—for the militants to further bolster their upper hand.
Former British International Development Secretary Rory Stewart told the BBC on Sunday, “Everything is going wrong… schools are shutting down across the country, clinics are shutting down across the country, people are taking refuge in their homes, looting is taking place.” Those who can get out will easily create a humanitarian refugee disaster, as Afghanistan’s debacle becomes the world’s problem once again. An AFP reporter in Herat described how the Taliban made itself at home in the office that once housed the former Herat governor on Saturday. There, they “sat on couches—some cradling American military rifles—as they jotted down names and reviewed lists spread on a glass-top coffee table.” Among those on the list are soldiers who have been granted a sort of “immunity” for giving up easily. Taliban member Najeebullah Karokhi told the AFP that around 3,000 people were given such amnesty. “Those who are from other provinces will be provided a three-day temporary amnesty letter so they can get to their home provinces, where they need to get another long-term amnesty letter from our officials,” he said.
Those likely not receiving any reprieve are women, who stand to lose the most as Afghanistan falls back in time. The last time the Taliban governed Afghanistan— from 1996 to 2001—they banned women from going to school or working. Many fear an almost certain return to those times, including Afghan lawmaker Farzana Kochai, who told the BBC in Kabul that women should be afraid of what happens under Taliban control. “For the women, the situation is as worse as it was expected,” she said. “Women will be jailed in their houses, is that what will happen, is that what it will be like? For now, yes. but we’ll see if it changes.”
As American troops returned to the capital to ferry its diplomats and select Afghan collaborators to safety on Sunday, the Taliban for the moment waited at the gates. But it’s unknown for how long their safe passage will be guaranteed. “I don’t know, they can’t go to anywhere, there’s nowhere left,” Kochai said Sunday. “They’re saying that the flights are full and we are stuck here, those who are going to go out and you know, where can they go, they have no choice, they have to stay here.” Nick Note: Another American surrender… The greaest arms cath ever taken by the Taliban. US embash=y staff….. A lot of military and CIA are in panic evacuations. The biggest treasure trove of documents, computers and American secrets are about to fall into enemy hands.. WHY? because clueless Amnesiac leadership under Biden though they had weeks to evacuate… NOT HOURS. So tell me are you still proud to be an America. Hang you head in shame. These people were promised freedom if they trusted America. Your freedom is an illision. The lefty liberals are surrendering to its Enemies America…… Obamma git what he alwys wanted……. His Islamic brothers rising to power, Its over my friends…. OVER.