Taliban declares war in Afghanistan over
After President Ashraf Ghani left, the Taliban took full control of the capital Kabul and declared victory.
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| The Taliban have taken full control of the capital Kabul and declared victory. Photo: Reuters |
Taliban Political Office spokesman Mohammad Naeem said the war in Afghanistan is over. A new system and rules are about to be formed in Afghanistan and the Taliban is ready to negotiate with Afghan government figures. The Taliban also pledged to ensure the safety of Afghans and foreign missions in Afghanistan.
The Taliban's statement came as the Taliban and the Afghan government prepare to hold talks on power transfer in Qatar on August 15 (local time). This new situation in Afghanistan is expected to significantly affect the negotiation process between the two sides. Previously, a Taliban official source revealed that there would be no transitional government in Afghanistan, and the group hopes for a complete power transfer.
Due to the complicated security situation in Afghanistan, all commercial flights to this country have been suspended. Only military aircraft are allowed to operate. This has forced many countries such as Germany and France to mobilize military aircraft to evacuate their citizens.
The US Department of Defense has sent an additional 1,000 troops to Afghanistan to evacuate US citizens, bringing the total number of US troops present in the South Asian country to 6,000. The decision was made after the US embassy warned that security at Kabul's capital airport was changing very quickly. According to some unnamed sources, fighting occurred in the airport area. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said it was working to keep Kabul airport running to help Afghanistan connect with the outside world.
Leaders of many countries around the world and international organizations have expressed concern about the situation in this South Asian country. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the Taliban and relevant parties to exercise restraint and maintain order, protect civilians and address humanitarian issues.
Expressing concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “Canada strongly condemns the increasing violence in Afghanistan and we are deeply saddened by the situation facing the Afghan people. We always believe in the future of Afghanistan, we will continue to work with our allies and the international community to ensure that efforts for Afghanistan are not in vain. We are committed to Afghanistan and the Afghan people.”
Commenting on the Taliban's control of Kabul, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that neither he nor anyone else wants Afghanistan to become a breeding ground for terrorism. He called on countries not to recognize the new Afghan government without an agreement./.
