As Taliban fighters drew closer to Kabul, taking a town south of the capital that is one of the city's entrances, Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, held urgent consultations with local leaders and international partners on Saturday.
“As your president, my priority is to prevent more instability, violence, and displacement of my people,” Ghani said in a brief broadcast address, as troops from the United States and other countries rushed in to assist with the evacuation of their embassies.
Ghani said "reintegration of the security and defense forces is our priority, and serious actions are being taken" in response to a Taliban demand that he resign before any talks on a ceasefire and a political settlement. According to a member of the local provincial council, the militants seized Pul-e-Alam, the seat of Logar province, 40 miles south of Kabul.
The Taliban did not face much pushback, according to a council member who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
A day after seizing control of the country's second and third largest cities, the insurgents captured control of the city, which is a crucial staging area for a possible attack on Kabul.According to a US official, US forces have begun flying into Kabul to assist in the evacuation of embassy workers and other civilians.
Two marine battalions and one infantry battalion, totaling roughly 3,000 troops, are expected to arrive in Kabul by Sunday evening, according to the Pentagon.
The official stated, "They have arrived, and their coming will continue till tomorrow."
In Kandahar, Taliban fighters drive an Afghan national army vehicle down a street.
Afghanistan was rocked for seven days as city after city fell to the Taliban.
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A brigade combat team from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, will also deploy to Kuwait to serve as a quick response force for security in Kabul if necessary, according to the Pentagon.As Afghan government forces fall and fears rise that an attack on Kabul is just days away, Britain and several other Western countries are sending soldiers.
As US-led international forces prepare to leave Afghanistan after 20 years of war, an Afghan government official announced on Friday that Kandahar, the southern commercial hub, was under Taliban control.
The hardline Islamist organization also took Herat in the west, close the Iranian border.
The loss of Kandahar was a major setback for the regime. It is the Taliban's heartland, and it is close to Spin Boldak, one of Pakistan's two primary entry points and a major source of tax money. Before the fall of Pul-e-Alam, a US defense official expressed fear that the Taliban, who were removed from power in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks on the US, could strike Kabul within days.
“Kabul is not now under imminent threat,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, “but clearly... if you look at what the Taliban has been doing, you can see that they are attempting to isolate Kabul.”
According to diplomats, some embassies have begun to burn critical documents in preparation for evacuation.
Burn bins and an incinerator were available at the US embassy in Kabul to destroy stuff such as documents and electronic devices in order to "limit the amount of sensitive information." António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, said that “Afghanistan is spinning out of control” and urged all parties to do more to safeguard civilians.
The United States has a large amount of the culpability for the military tragedy in Afghanistan.
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“Now is the time to call a halt to the offensive. This is the time to get serious about negotiating. “Now is the time to avoid a lengthy civil war or the isolation of Afghanistan,” Guterres said in New York.
Residents stated that many individuals in the capital were stocking up on rice and other foods, as well as first aid. Officials indicated that visa applications at embassies were in the tens of thousands.
Fears of a refugee crisis and a roiling economy have risen as a result of the recent uptick in conflict.Recriminations over the US pullout, which was agreed last year under the Trump administration, have erupted as a result of the Taliban's rapid gains.
Joe Biden indicated this week that he does not regret his choice to withdraw from the race. He emphasized that the US had spent more than $1 trillion and lost thousands of troops in Afghanistan over the last two decades, and he urged the Afghan army and politicians to do more.
Most Americans support Biden's decision, according to polls, but Republicans have criticized the Democratic president's handling of the US withdrawal. We need a small favor from you. Every day, millions of people come to the Guardian for open, independent, and high-quality news, and we now have readers in 180 countries.
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