The Taliban said Tuesday the war in Afghanistan was over and that all their opponents would be pardoned, as they held their first news conference since seizing power from the Western-backed government in Kabul.
"War has ended... (the leader) has pardoned everyone," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, adding: "We are committed to letting women work in accordance with the principles of Islam."
The Taliban on Tuesday declared that no threat will be posed to any country from Afghanistan as the group took charge of the strife-torn country following a shockingly rapid collapse of its democratic government with the departure of most western troops.
"The Islamic emirate is pledging to all world countries that no threat will be posed to any country from Afghanistan," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters at their first press conference in Kabul in which he announced an Islamic government will be established in Afghanistan soon.
The Taliban news conference came as the United States and Western allies evacuated diplomats and civilians the day after scenes of chaos at Kabul airport as Afghans desperate to flee the Taliban thronged to the terminal.
Here are the Highlights on Afghanistan-Taliban crisis:
Taliban Says No Threat Will Be Posed To Any Country From AfghanistanThe Taliban on Tuesday declared that no threat will be posed to any country from Afghanistan as the group took charge of the strife-torn country following a shockingly rapid collapse of its democratic government with the departure of most western troops
The publishers of the Washington Post, New York Times and Wall Street Journal sent a letter Monday to President Joe Biden seeking aid for Afghan journalists and their families who have been working for the US media organizations.
India has evacuated its staffers from the embassy in Kabul, which fell to Taliban on Sunday. The embassy personnel, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police on security duty, have been flown back on two Air Force planes -- the second one took off this morning, sources have said. Read Here.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday the alliance was surprised by the speed of the Taliban victory in Afghanistan but blamed Afghan leaders for the "tragedy".
"Ultimately, the Afghan political leadership failed to stand up to the Taliban and to achieve the peaceful solution that Afghans desperately wanted," he said.
A second Czech plane left Kabul on Tuesday, evacuating Czechs and local staff from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control of the country, Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek said.
Military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians resumed earlier on Tuesday after the runway at Kabul airport was cleared of thousands of people desperate to flee after the Taliban seized the capital, Reuters reported.
The east African nation has long experience receiving people escaping conflict and currently hosts about 1.4 million refugees, most from South Sudan.
"State cooperation on development is suspended for the time being," Development Minister Gerd Mueller said in an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper. "We are working at pace to evacuate from Afghanistan, those local development officials and NGO workers who want to leave."
Beijing has signalled its readiness to cooperate with the Taliban after the United States' withdrawal, which spurred a rapid advance by the terror group across the country that saw them capture the capital Kabul on Sunday. Read Here.
Germany's president on Tuesday criticised Western powers over chaotic scenes at Kabul airport where thousands of Afghans gathered in a bid to flee the country after the Taliban swept back to power.
"The images of desperation at Kabul airport are shameful for the political West," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, calling the situation in Afghanistan a "human tragedy for which we share responsibility". Read Here.
The top United Nations human rights official expressed fear on Tuesday for the safety of thousands of Afghans who have worked on human rights issues, while the U.N refugee agency called for a halt to forced deportation of Afghan asylum seekers."We are particularly concerned about the safety of the thousands of Afghans who have been working to promote human rights across the country, and have helped improve the lives of millions," Rupert Colville said.
Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday blasted Western powers over the scenes of desperation at Kabul airport where thousands of Afghans have gathered in a bid to flee the country after the Taliban swept back to power.
"The images of desperation at Kabul airport are shameful for the political West," he said, calling the situation in Afghanistan a "human tragedy for which we share responsibility".
"Thank You IAF": Envoy On #Kabul Evacuation Under 'Not Normal Conditions'
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
NDTV's Akshay Dongare reports
Read more: https://t.co/5q7Ij1JQPq pic.twitter.com/0wTCE8KfXU
I am deeply concerned by accounts of human rights violations against the women and girls of Afghanistan who fear a return to the darkest days.
- António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 17, 2021
They are looking to the international community for support.
We must not let them down.
Turkey said on Tuesday it welcomed the "positive messages" to the international community given by Taliban fighters following their seizure of power in Afghanistan.
"We welcome the positive messages given by the Taliban to foreigners, diplomatic missions and their own population. I hope we will see (the same approach) in their actions," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in televised comments.
Afghanistan Crisis: India Evacuates Kabul Embassy, Special Flight Brings Indians Home, Envoy Thanks IAFAmid escalating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, India has evacuated its embassy staff in Kabul in a special Air Force flight.
Afghanistan Crisis: SOS From UP Family Worried Over 28-Year-Old's Return From KabulThe Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan after 20 years has left many Indians deeply worried over the safety of their loved ones stuck in Kabul and other parts of the country.
#WATCH | Evacuated Indians from Kabul, Afghanistan chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' after landing in Jamnagar, Gujarat. pic.twitter.com/IqvESz79IO
- ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2021
#Watch | "We would like to thank the Indian Air Force who flew us out when the situation wasn't normal. There are some individuals (Indians) there. I know 5-6 of them": Rudrendra Tandon, India's Kabul Envoy, on the evacuation of Indian embassy from #Kabul pic.twitter.com/N1EQFFcr4B
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
#Watch | "We have to watch very closely how Taliban deals with Russia and China. India needs to wait and watch these dynamics": Lt Gen Satish Dua (Retd) (@TheSatishDua), Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, on the #Afghan crisis pic.twitter.com/NNw5t1KjkY
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
#Watch | "Taliban is trying to change the optics of how they are viewed. Taliban spokespersons are going to news studios and giving interviews to women journalists": Suhasini Haider (@suhasinih), Diplomatic Affairs editor of The Hindu, on the #Afghan crisis pic.twitter.com/CXU0a00HCT
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
Parents of a 28-year-old welder stuck in #Afghanistan appeal for swift evacuation of their son
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
NDTV's Alok Pandey reports pic.twitter.com/wsciDKUqfy
US President Joe Biden Vows Devastating Response If Taliban Attack US InterestsUS President Joe Biden warned the Taliban Monday not to disrupt or threaten the evacuation of thousands of American diplomats and Afghan translators at the Kabul airport.
Afghanistan Crisis: Viral Photo Of Over 600 Afghans Packed Into US Plane Defines Kabul CrisisAmong the thousands of Afghans who came running to Kabul airport yesterday, over 600 of them managed to fly out in a US Air Force transport plane at the last minute.
Exclusive: 'Taliban Was Watching Embassy' - How India Evacuated Its Staff
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
NDTV's Vishnu Som reports
Read more: https://t.co/91f1hKE8Wp pic.twitter.com/jzNb6Mv8nM
'All For Nothing?': US Veterans Watch Afghanistan Fall With Grief And DismayA decade after returning from Afghanistan, Marc Silvestri was convinced it was time for his comrades to come home too. But watching the chaotic pullout unfold in real time has stunned the army veteran.
#Watch | "India should be concerned about the current developments. A certain degree of strategic patience maybe more prudent. Nobody knows what the next few days will look like": Commodore Uday Bhaskar (Retd) (@theUdayB), Defence Expert, on #Afghan crisis pic.twitter.com/JYOCm1YRGs
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
Taliban Clears "General Amnesty" For Government Officials, Ask Them To Return To WorkThe Taliban Tuesday declared a general amnesty for all government officials and urged them to return to work, two days after taking power following a lightning sweep through the country.
Afghan Deal Struck In Doha Over Months Crashed After Ashraf Ghani FledThe weeks leading up to Kabul's collapse saw a flurry of diplomatic activity by US and its allies in Qatar aimed at heading off exactly chaotic scenes in Afghan capital that have so horrified the world and put Joe Biden's presidency on defensive.
#Watch | "India has had a difficult relationship with Taliban in the past. It will be interesting to see how India balances it this time": Omer Altaf, Journalist, Islamabad, on the crisis in #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/U6Jm8J1Jl3
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
At Pentagon, US Military Officials Bitter As They Watch Chaos In KabulThe mood was sombre Monday in the corridors of the Pentagon, where US military personnel watched helplessly as chaos erupted at Kabul airport and privately criticized the slow pace of Joe Biden's administration in evacuating US-allied Afghans.
In view of the prevailing circumstances, it has been decided that our Ambassador in Kabul and his Indian staff will move to India immediately: MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi
- ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2021
(file photo) pic.twitter.com/QFXWeRxbwB
At Pentagon, US Military Officials Bitter As They Watch Chaos In KabulThe mood was sombre Monday in the corridors of the Pentagon, where US military personnel watched helplessly as chaos erupted at Kabul airport and privately criticized the slow pace of Joe Biden's administration in evacuating US-allied Afghans.
Exclusive: Taliban Was Watching Embassy In Kabul, How India Evacuated Its StaffTwo Indian Air Force C-17 transports flew into Kabul on August 15 to evacuate Indian embassy personnel, including Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel who defend the mission.
French nationals and their Afghan colleagues line up to board a French military transport plane at Kabul airport on August 17, for evacuation from Afghanistan after the Taliban's stunning military takeover of the country pic.twitter.com/Uj47jedua7
- AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 17, 2021
'Not An Enemy' Any More: Why Russia Is Courting The TalibanWhile many countries are scrambling to empty their embassies and remove their staff from Afghanistan, Russia is staying put -- it has long prepared for the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul.
VIDEO: Turkey is building a wall along its border with Iran to prevent a new influx of refugees, mainly from Afghanistan as the Taliban take over the country.
- AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 17, 2021
For now, a 5km section is under construction but Turkey is aiming to build a 295km-long wall on its Iranian border pic.twitter.com/YJAZgUOEGa
#NDTVExclusive | #Kabul Satellite Images Show Huge Crowds Desperate To Get Out
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
NDTV's Vishnu Som reports
Read more: https://t.co/Uq30cphueJ pic.twitter.com/0hwtfzQRm5
Afghanistan Crisis In Photos: Taliban's Kabul Takeover Caps Afghanistan BlitzThe Taliban took control of Afghanistan after the government collapsed on Sunday. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and conceded the terrorists had won the 20-year war.
"Hope Situation Stabilises Soon": India On #Afghanistan At UN Body
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
Read more: https://t.co/J4PR5ad97a pic.twitter.com/VK4zE1VGgm
S Jaishankar Discusses Afghan Situation With US Secretary Of State Antony BlinkenExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the latest developments in Afghanistan and underlined the urgency of restoring airports in Kabul.
Kabul airport restarts evacuation operations, all Indian staff along with ITBP soldiers to land in India
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 17, 2021
NDTV's Neeta Sharma reports
Read more: https://t.co/5q7Ij1JQPq pic.twitter.com/quNCRWab8a
Stand Squarely Behind Afghanistan Pull-Out, Says Joe Biden Amid CriticismPresident Joe Biden defended the US pullout of Afghanistan Monday, saying he stood by the policy and that it was time to leave after 20 years of conflict.
MHA reviews visa provisions in view of the current situation in Afghanistan. A new category of electronic visa called "e-Emergency X-Misc Visa" introduced to fast-track visa applications for entry into India.@HMOIndia @PIB_India @DDNewslive @airnewsalerts
- Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) August 17, 2021
Afghanistan Crisis: India Evacuates Kabul Embassy, Special Flight Bringing Indians HomeAmid escalating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, India has evacuated its embassy staff in Kabul in a special Air Force flight.
