Stand by Decision to Withdraw, Says Biden; 2 Armed Men Killed at Kabul Airport
Catch all the live updates of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan here.
Taliban fighters take control of Afghan presidential palace after the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021.
(Photo: PTI)
United States President Joe Biden addressed the nation on the Afghanistan crisis a little after 3:45 pm on Monday, 16 August (1:15 am IST, Tuesday), and said that "I stand squarely by my decision."
"American troops should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that American troops are not willing to fight by themselves," Biden said.
Earlier, US soldiers killed two armed men at the Kabul airport, news agency AFP reported citing the Pentagon, a day after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
The Taliban is in control of Afghanistan after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and conceded that the insurgents had won the 20-year war.
China on Monday said that it is willing to develop 'friendly relations' with Afghanistan's Taliban, AFP reported.
All commercial flights were suspended at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, TOLO News reported, after the closure of Afghan airspace
Later in the day, the Pentagon reportedly said that all military and civilian flights have been halted at Kabul airport
On Sunday, Taliban commanders said that they had taken control of the Afghan Presidential Palace
Following the withdrawal of a majority of US troops on 1 May, Taliban advanced rapidly in the country, capturing city after city
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Afghanistan President Ghani Has Left the Country: Report
Hours after Taliban fighters entered Kabul on Sunday, sources cited by TOLONews said that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has left the country.
Taliban Will Enter Some Parts of Kabul to Prevent Chaos: Spokesperson
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has said that in order to prevent looting and chaos, their forces will enter some parts of Kabul and occupy outposts that have been evacuated by security forces, as he asked people to not panic from their entrance, TOLONews reported.
Taliban 'Take Control' of Afghan Presidential Palace: Report
Taliban commanders said they had taken control of the Afghan Presidential Palace, news agency Reuters reported.
President Ashraf Ghani Issues Statement
President Ashraf Ghani, who fled to Tajikistan on Sunday, as the Taliban reached Kabul for a transfer of power, said that he left Afghanistan in order to avoid violence and bloodshed.
In his first statement since the terror organisation took over the presidential palace in Afghanistan, Ghani said, "The Taliban have made it to remove me; they are here to attack all Kabul and the people of Kabul. In order to avoid the bleeding flood, I thought it was best to get out."
US Military Secure Perimeter of Kabul Airport
The US military has secured the perimeter of Kabul airport, the State Department said, adding that Washington's embassy in the Afghan capital had been completely evacuated, reports AFP.
Taliban Issues Statement After Taking Over Afghanistan
Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem said in interviews with Al Jazeera TV that the organisation did not want to live in isolation and the type of rule and the form of regime would be clear soon.
US Leads 65 Nations in Urging Taliban to Let Afghans Leave Country
65 nations, including the US on Sunday issued a joint statement urging those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan to bear responsibility and accountability for the protection of human life and property, and for the immediate restoration of security and civil order.
"The United States joins the international community in affirming that Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so," Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote on Twitter as the State Department released a statement signed by its close allies.
"Those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan bear responsibility -- and accountability -- for the protection of human life," the joint statement said.
Videos Show Total Chaos at Hamid Karzai International Airport
Videos have emerged of chaos at the Hamid Karzai airport as Afghans and foreigners try to leave the country after the Taliban's takeover of the country.
Thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals have surged on to the tarmac at Kabul airport seeking a place on a flight out of the country.
A sea of people – including parents carrying young children – are seen surging towards planes on the airfield. US Humvees are also on the ground at the airport. In one video a woman calls out “look at the state of the people of Afghanistan”.
US Troops Fire Shots in the Air at Kabul Airport
US troops on Monday, 16 August, fired shots in the air at Kabul's airport as crowds mobbed the tarmac, news agency AFP reported, quoting a witness.
Afghans are trying to leave the country after the Taliban took over the capital.
"I feel very scared here. They are firing lots of shots into the air," a witness told AFP.
A video of hundreds of Afghans struggling to enter a plane has emerged, showing the desperation for people of the country to leave Afghanistan amid the crisis.
All Commercial Flights Suspended at Kabul Airport
All commercial flights have been suspended at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, TOLO News reported on Monday, quoting a statement. The statement has asked people to avoid crowds at the airport.
In light of this airspace closure, Air India's AI 126 Chicago-Delhi flight has been diverted to Gulf airspace, reports ANI.
France to Evacuate First Nationals From Kabul by Evening
France will evacuate its first nationals from Kabul to a base in the UAE by Monday evening, defence minister Florence Parly said, adding there were several dozen French citizens to be evacuated along "with people under our protection", according to AFP.
At Least 5 People Killed at Kabul Airport: Report
At least five people have been killed in Kabul airport as hundreds of people tried to forcibly enter planes leaving Kabul, Reuters reported on Monday, quoting witnesses.
According to a report by Wall Street Journal, at least three people were killed by gunfire at the passenger terminal of Kabul’s international airport.
The report quoted witnesses who said that they had seen the bodies on the ground outside the terminal building.
Ashraf Ghani in Oman After Denied Landing in Tajikistan: Report
Reports say that Ashraf Ghani is in Oman after Tajikistan denied landing to him on Sunday. The reports further said that Ghani, who fled Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul, is likely to head to the US.
Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan to Meet Taliban on Tuesday
Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan will meet with the Taliban in Kabul on Tuesday, foreign ministry official Zamir Kabulov said on Monday, according to AFP. He added that Moscow will decide on recognising the new government based on its "conduct".
Germany Planning to Deploy Soldiers to Afghanistan to Help Evacuate Nationals, Afghans in Danger
Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is planning to deploy soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuation of German nationals and Afghans in danger from the Taliban, AFP reported, quoting parliamentary sources.
China Says Willing to Develop 'Friendly Relations' With Taliban
China on Monday said that it is willing to develop 'friendly relations' with Afghanistan's Taliban, reports AFP.
Kabul: People Cling on to Aircraft As it Takes Off, Fall to Death
Among the videos that have emerged from Kabul in the wake of the Taliban takeover, some visuals purportedly showed people falling to their deaths after they clung on to an aircraft as it took off.
(The visuals below might be disturbing for some viewers. Viewer discretion advised.)
Afghan Military Plane Crashes in Uzbekistan: Report
An Afghan military plane has crashed in Uzbekistan, AFP reported on Monday, quoting the defence ministry.
Will Take All Steps to Ensure Safety of Indians: MEA on Afghanistan Crisis
The Government of India will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of the Indian nationals and its interests in Afghanistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday, a day after the Taliban takeover of the country.
Acknowledging that the security situation in Kabul has 'deteriorated significantly in the last few days', the MEA said they are awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the repatriation process.
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US Soldiers Kill 2 Armed Men at Kabul Airport: Pentagon
US soldiers killed two armed men at the Kabul airport, news agency AFP reported on Monday, 16 August, citing the Pentagon.
US President Joe Biden to Address the Nation on Afghanistan
US President Joe Biden will be addressing the nation on the Afghanistan crisis at 3:45 pm ET on Monday (1:15 am IST).
MEA Sets Up Afghanistan Cell to Coordinate Repatriation
'Stand Squarely by My Decision': US President Biden
United States President Joe Biden addressed the nation on the Afghanistan crisis a little after 3:45 pm on Monday, 16 August (1:15 am IST, Tuesday), and said that "I stand squarely by my decision."
"American troops should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that American troops are not willing to fight by themselves," Biden said.
"My national security team and I have been closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and moving quickly to execute the plans we had put in place to respond to every constituency and contingency including the rapid collapse we are seeing now," he said.