The first night of the fall of the capital… What happened in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of Kabul?

On the first night of capturing Afghanistan’s capital, victorious Taliban fighters patrolled the streets of Kabul, after a swift and stunning end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, as the rebels celebrated victory, thousands of people thronged the city’s airport in an attempt to flee the militant group’s rule, or possibly kill everyone who cooperated with the Western military coalition over the past two decades, according to an AFP report.
The country’s president, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country suddenly, on Sunday evening, after the militants surrounded the capital, and despite entering into negotiations with them, the Taliban celebrated an expensive military victory, as they took control of all cities in just 10 days.

Ghani then commented, “The Taliban have won with swords and guns, and they are now responsible for the honor and property of its citizens and for the preservation of themselves,” stressing that he spared the country a bloody clash by leaving the country immediately.

The Russian Embassy in Kabul revealed to “Sputnik” agency, that the Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, fled Kabul with cars full of money, some of which remained at the airport because he was unable to transport all the money.
The press secretary of the diplomatic mission, Nikita Ishchenko, said: “As for the fall of the regime, it was distinguished by the method of Rich’s escape from Afghanistan, where he was accompanied by four cars that were full of money, and another part of the money they tried to put in a helicopter, but it did not absorb it, so part of the money remained lying on the ground. tarmac”.
failure and fall

Government forces collapsed without the support of the US military, which invaded the country in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks and ousted the Taliban for supporting al-Qaeda, which Washington blamed for the attacks.
But the USA ultimately failed to build a democratic government that could withstand the Taliban, despite spending billions of dollars and two decades of military support.

After police and other government forces abandoned their positions in Kabul on Sunday, Taliban fighters took control of checkpoints across the city and entered the presidential palace. Armed men carrying rifles on their shoulders marched through the streets of the Green Zone, a previously heavily fortified area that housed most embassies and international organizations.

The Taliban sought to reassure the international community that Afghans should not fear them, and said they would not retaliate against those who supported the US coalition. In a message posted on social media, the co-founder of the Taliban, Abdul Ghani Baradar, called on his fighters to remain disciplined after capturing the city.

“Now is the time for testing and proof, and now we have to show that we can serve our nation and ensure security and comfort in life,” he said.
Fear dominates

The Taliban’s capture of the capital occurred, as in many other cities, without the bloodshed that many feared. But there were desperate scenes at Kabul airport on Monday, as people tried to board the few available flights.

“We are afraid to live in this city. Since I served in the army, the Taliban have definitely been targeting me,” a 25-year-old former soldier told AFP as he stood amid huge crowds on the tarmac.

The United States sent 6,000 troops to the airport to ensure the safe evacuation of embassy staff, as well as Afghans who worked as translators or in other support roles. Other governments, including France, Germany and Australia, have also organized evacuation flights.

On Monday, the US government said it had secured the airport, but chaos remained as witnesses reported deaths after soldiers fired shots to ward off crowds. Then the authorities canceled all remaining commercial flights, citing the threat of thieves.

What’s more, Afghan citizens fell off American planes after they tried to flee the country. Citizens clung to one of the US planes as it took off, but eventually fell as it accelerated and began flying.

The United States earlier issued a statement with more than 65 countries urging the Taliban to allow Afghans to leave the country, warning that it would be held accountable for any abuses. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the Taliban and all parties to exercise “restraint” and said the rights of women and girls must be protected.

The Taliban enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law during their 1996-2001 rule, including preventing girls from attending school and women from working, while people were publicly stoned to death for adultery.

Mosca Dastagir, a lecturer at the American University of Afghanistan, which opened five years after the Taliban’s ouster, said Kabul residents felt “frightened and helpless”. She wrote on Twitter: “Fear sits inside your chest like a black bird. It opens its wings and you can’t breathe.”
international position

The UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency session on Afghanistan on Monday, as the Taliban seeks official recognition. China was the first major country to express its support for the Taliban, saying it was ready for “friendly relations”.

Russia’s ambassador to Afghanistan plans to meet with the Taliban on Tuesday, with a decision on how they will govern the country in the near future, a foreign ministry official said in Moscow.

The Special Envoy of the Russian President to Afghanistan and the Director of the Second Department for Asia in the Russian Foreign Ministry, Zamir Kabulov, announced that it is currently not possible to talk about excluding the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) from the list of terrorist organizations, noting that this procedure must begin with a decision of the Council of Ministers. international security.

The US government has insisted in recent days that the two-decade war in Afghanistan was a success, as its goal was to eliminate the al-Qaeda threat.

President Joe Biden said there was no choice but to withdraw US troops and that he would not “pass this war on” to another president. But Washington has expressed shock at the rapid collapse of the Afghan government, and critics have said the United States’ reputation as a world power has been badly tarnished.