The US embassies of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment…reports Asian Lite News.
A large portion of the Afghan Air Force has ended up in neighbouring Uzbekistan, after hundreds of service members used US-supplied planes and helicopters to flee the Taliban, The Wall Street Journal reported citing American officials.
At least 46 of the aircraft crossed over Afghanistan’s border into Uzbekistan since August 15, when the Taliban seized Kabul and the government collapsed, the officials said.
The planes and helicopters carried a total of 585 members of Afghan forces with them, the officials said.
A handful of airplanes also ended up in Tajikistan, also on Afghanistan’s northern border.
The US embassies of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The migration of the aircraft comes as Washington is only beginning to tally up how much of the billions of dollars in US-supplied hardware has ended up with the Taliban.
The Afghan delegation comprising erstwhile Northern Alliance leaders and Speaker Afghan Parliament Mir Rehman arrived in Pakistan on Sunday…reports Asian Lite News.
Political leaders from Afghanistan visiting Pakistan have opposed “the single-party government” in their country, Samaa TV reported.
This statement came shortly after the Taliban issued a statement to commemorate Afghanistan 102nd Independence Day. The statement included a declaration of the formation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
The Afghan delegation comprising erstwhile Northern Alliance leaders and Speaker Afghan Parliament Mir Rehman arrived in Pakistan on Sunday.
In a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, the delegate said they were invited to Pakistan a month ago. Their visit began on August 15 and on the same day, Kabul fell to the Taliban.
Rehmani said Afghanistan should be governed by a constitution that is acceptable to everyone. “A single-party authoritarian government would not be accepted,” he told reporters.
Separately, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan held a meeting with former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and senior leader of ousted government Abdullah Abdullah to discuss ‘efforts for stability in Afghanistan’.
Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah also held talks with the Taliban over future government plans in Afghanistan.
Both leaders on Wednesday met the Taliban commander and senior leader of the Haqqani network, Anas Haqqani, as part of efforts to form an inclusive government in the war-torn country, Dawn reported.
Efforts are being made to maintain stability in Afghanistan at a time when thousands of people are trying to flee the country through Kabul airport. All other transit routes have been taken over by the terrorist group.
Women journalists barred from working
Women journalists in Afghanistan have said that they are being barred from working by the Taliban who have overtaken control of the country and who had assured that women would be allowed to work corresponding with Sharia law.
They have also asked the Taliban to respect their right to work, TOLO News reported.
Shabnam Khan Dawran, an anchor at RTA (Radio Television Afghanistan) said that the Taliban has not allowed her to enter her office to continue her work.
“I wanted to return to work, but unfortunately they did not allow me to work. They told me that the regime has changed and you cannot work,” Dawran was quoted by TOLO.
Another journalist Khadija said that she was also banned by the Taliban from working.
“I went to the office but I was not allowed in. Later other colleagues were banned, too. We talked with our new director who has been appointed by the Taliban,” said Khadija.
Khadija said that the Taliban told them that a decision will be made soon about their work.
“There has been a change in the programs, they broadcast their desired programs, there are no female presenters and female journalists,” said Khadija, TOLO News reported further.
This is even as the Taliban in their first press conference after taking control of Afghanistan said that the rights of women will be “respected with the framework of Islamic law.”
The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid assured that the group is committed to providing women with their rights based on Islam. “Taliban are committed to providing women with their rights based on Islam. Women can work in the health sector and other sectors where they are needed. There will be no discrimination against women.”
Taliban had also announced a “general amnesty” for all Afghan government officials and urged them to return to work, including women corresponding with Sharia law. (ANI)
The EU expressed “deep concerns” about reports of serious human rights violations and abuses in areas across Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News.
Hundreds of Afghans protested in front of the European Commission, European Council, and the European External Action Service (EEAS) against the Taliban takeover and urged the 27-nation bloc to save people of Afghanistan from the terror group’s inhumane regime.
The protest was organised by the Network of Afghan Diaspora Organisations in Europe (NADOE) and the Afghan Refugee Committee of Belgium organised on Wednesday.
Holding Afghan flags and placards inscribed with their demands, the protestors called on European Union institutions to step forward to save Afghans from the Taliban.
The protest demonstration was attended by about 200-250 members of the Afghan diaspora.
The Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday and took control of the presidential palace.
Soon after the terror group claimed control over the Afghan capital, several countries evacuated their diplomatic personnel from the country, and hundreds of people flocked to the Kabul airport in an attempt to leave Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, thousands of people gather in front of the German parliament in Berlin to demand an airlift and the welcome of Afghan refugees by the EU.
Dozens of demonstrators staged a rally outside the U.N.’s Geneva compound on Tuesday to call for respect for women and freedom of expression in Afghanistan after Taliban fighters seized power from the country’s government.
The demonstrators called for continued schooling for women and girls – which was banned during the Taliban’s previous rule in the late 1990s – and held up banners reading “We want peace” and “Make the Afghan people count!”
On Tuesday, European Union foreign ministers held an emergency meeting to discuss the Taliban takeover of the Afghan capital, Kabul.
The EU expressed “deep concerns” about reports of serious human rights violations and abuses in areas across Afghanistan.
The EU calls on all parties in Afghanistan to respect all commitments made and to pursue further an inclusive, comprehensive and enduring political solution.
“The EU stresses the utmost importance of the safety and security of all EU citizens in Afghanistan, as well as local staff working for the EU or member states,” the statement read.
The bloc called for an immediate cessation of all violence, the restoration of security and civil order and the protection and respect for civilian life, dignity and property throughout Afghanistan. (ANI)
UNESCO will spare no efforts to support all Afghans to ensure their right to education, the agency said in a statement…reports Asian Lite News.
Amid the rapidly evolving events in Afghanistan, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has declared that “the fundamental right to education for all, in particular for girls and women, must continue unhindered”.
UNESCO will spare no efforts to support all Afghans to ensure their right to education, the agency said in a statement.
“Education is a fundamental human right indispensable for the exercise of other human rights and for the development of Afghanistan. It is even more so at this critical time. UNESCO calls on all to guarantee the right to education without any discrimination. Students, teachers and education personnel must have access to safe educational environments, including girls and women, who have to continue learning and teaching without any restrictions,” said Azoulay.
“The enormous progress made in the country including in education must not be lost. Education must continue for girls and women. The future of Afghanistan depends on them”, added the Director-General.
UNESCO has provided technical assistance to strengthen education in Afghanistan since 1948, according to a statement.
Through its office in Kabul, UNESCO has invested in education policy especially for girls’ education, with the largest literacy campaign in the history of the Organisation which has reached 1.2 million Afghans, including 800,000 women.
More recently UNESCO has been supporting efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, helping the education system to promote a safe return to school, especially for girls.
Cultural heritage
The UN cultural agency has called for the preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage in its diversity and in full respect of international law.
This statement comes a few days after the Taliban blew up slain Hazara leader Abdul Ali Mazari’s statue in Bamiyan, a grim reminder of the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001.
“Afghanistan is home to a wide range of rich and diverse heritage, which is an integral part of Afghan history and identity, as well as of importance for humanity as a whole, that must be safeguarded,” the UNESCO statement said.
This includes sites such as the Old City of Herat, the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam and the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley, as well as museums like the National Museum in Kabul.
Amid the rapidly unfolding events, UNESCO is closely following the situation on the ground and is committed to exercising all possible efforts to safeguard the invaluable cultural heritage of the country.
Any damage or loss of #CulturalHeritage will only have adverse consequences on the prospects for lasting peace & humanitarian relief for the Afghan people.
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) August 19, 2021
In a statement issued on Thursday, the UN agency said that any damage or loss of cultural heritage will only have adverse consequences on the prospects for lasting peace and humanitarian relief for the people of Afghanistan.
UNESCO further underlined the need for a safe environment for the ongoing work of the country’s cultural heritage professionals and artists.
It is crucial for the future of Afghanistan to safeguard and preserve these landmarks, the statement added. (ANI)
These flights, containing more than 2,000 passengers, left Kabul and arrived at designated safe havens and staging areas in the CENTCOM area of operation, he said…reports Asian Lite News.
A total of 7,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the start of evacuation operations on August 14 and over 5,200 US troops are in Kabul, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
Cumulatively, the number of people moved out of Afghanistan is somewhere near 12,000.
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan on Sunday. Their sudden victory, which comes as the US withdraws from the country following a 20-year-war, has sparked chaos at Kabul’s airport, from where America and allied nations are trying to safely evacuate thousands of citizens and allies.
“The US military footprint and Kabul now has more than 5,200 total troops on the ground. Kabul airport remains secure and open for flight operations. There are now multiple gates that have access for entry into the airfield, which will help expedite processing in a safe and orderly manner,” said Major General Hank Taylor, Commanding General of the Army Operational Test Command.
Major General Taylor, who has been given the responsibility to airlift US citizens from Afghanistan amid the Taliban crisis, said in the past 24 hours, 13 C-17s arrived with additional troops and equipment, and 12 C-17 military planes departed.
These flights, containing more than 2,000 passengers, left Kabul and arrived at designated safe havens and staging areas in the CENTCOM area of operation, he said.
“Since the start of evacuation operations on August 14, we have airlifted approximately 7,000 total evacuees. This increase is reflective of both a ramp up of aircraft and airlift capability, faster processing of evacuees, and greater information and fidelity in reporting,” Taylor told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.
The US, he said, is ready to increase throughput and have scheduled aircraft departures accordingly.
“We intend to maximize each plane’s capacity. We’re prioritising people above all else. And we’re focused on doing this as safely as possible with absolute urgency,” he said.
At a separate news conference, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that there are 6,000 people at the airport right now who’ve been fully processed by a consular team and will soon board planes.
“Overnight, we significantly expanded how many American citizens locally employed staff, SIV applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans who are eligible for departure, and we offered to consider transit to the airport. We’re aware of congestion around the airport. We are working closely with the Department of Defense to facilitate safe and orderly access for consular processing on the airport compound,” he said.
Secretary of State Blinken spoke with the G7 foreign ministers and the high representative of the European Union to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, he said.
“All leaders underscored the imperative of safe passage for those who wish to leave Afghanistan and the need for an inclusive political resolution that protects the fundamental human rights of all Afghans,” Price said.
He said the leaders agreed that the international community’s relationship with the Taliban will depend on their actions and not their words.
“Blinken and the G7 foreign ministers also exchanged views on counterterrorism, humanitarian efforts, refugee migration, and they agreed to remain in close contact on all fronts going forward. Secretary Blinken thanked his foreign counterparts for their steadfast commitment to supporting the Afghan people,” Price said.
The statement was also signed by the European Union and 18 other countries like Australia and Canada…reports Asian Lite News.
United Kingdom and United States among 21 nations have issued a joint statement wherein they expressed their concerns about the rights and freedom of Afghan women and girls following the recent takeover of the war-torn nation by the Taliban, media reported.
Stating that they were ready to provide assistance with humanitarian aid, the nations said they would closely monitor how any future government in Afghanistan was ensuring the rights that became an integral part of women and girls over the past 20 years, the Hindustan Time reported.
“We are deeply worried about Afghan women and girls, their rights to education, work and freedom of movement. We call on those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan to guarantee their protection,” HT quoted the joint statement released by the US State Department.
The statement was also signed by the European Union and 18 other countries like Australia and Canada.
Meanwhile, giving a slew of assurances on issues ranging from women’s rights and safety of Afghan nationals who worked with foreign troops, the Taliban on Tuesday “pledged” that the Islamic emirate in Afghanistan will not pose a threat to any country.
In the first presser in the capital city after the siege of Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid was quoted by TOLO News as saying that “soon they will reach a settlement through which an Islamic government will be established in the country.”
On Sunday, the Taliban entered Kabul and took control of the presidential palace. Taliban leaders have been discussing future government plans in Doha after gaining control of Kabul.
“We want to establish a government that includes all sides,” Mujahid said, adding that they want an end to the war.
Older generations remember the ultraconservative Islamic regime that saw regular stoning, amputations and public executions during Taliban rule before the US-led invasion that followed the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. Under the Taliban, which ruled in accordance with a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, women were largely confined to their homes.
Answering a question about differences between 1990s Taliban and present time, Taliban spokesperson said “the ideology and beliefs are the same because they’re Muslims, but there is a change in terms of experience–they’re more experienced and have a different perspective.”
The Taliban spokesperson assured that the group is committed to providing women with their rights based on Islam. “Taliban are committed to providing women with their rights based on Islam. Women can work in the health sector and other sectors where they are needed. There will be no discrimination against women.”
Mujahid said they have pardoned everyone and will not take revenge against anyone, including former military members and those who worked with the foreign forces. “No one will search their houses,” he said, as quoted by TOLO.
Armed Afghan women take to the streets against Taliban.(Photo courtesy Facebook)
The spokesperson said, “They want all media outlets to continue their activities. “They have three suggestions: No broadcast should contradict Islamic values. They should be impartial, no one should broadcast anything that goes against our national interests.”
Over security of diplomatic missions, Mujahid said that the security of foreign embassies is important to them and they pledge that the embassies will be completely safe.
“The security of embassies in Kabul is of crucial importance to us. We would like to assure all foreign countries that our forces are there to ensure the security of all embassies, missions, international organizations, and aid agencies,” he added.
The spokesperson also informed that Taliban deputy leader and co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has returned to Afghanistan.
Earlier today, the Taliban had announced a “general amnesty” for all Afghan government officials and urged them to return to work, including women corresponding with Sharia law. (ANI)
She also called on other European countries to engage in Afghan refugee resettlement programmes…reports Asian Lite News.
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said the United Kingdom would accept 20,000 Afghan refugees fleeing from the country, priority will be given to women and girls.
“Our new Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme will welcome up to 20,000 people who have been forced to flee Afghanistan, with the first 5,000 arriving in the next year,” Patel said in a statement issued by British High Commission on Wednesday.
The United Kingdom will offer shelter primarily to women and girls, who are “facing a chilling future” under the Taliban’s rule as well as Afghan interpreters, teachers and community workers, who worked alongside the UK mission. Some 2,000 Afghan nationals, who assisted the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan, have been settled in the UK since late June, the secretary added.
She also called on other European countries to engage in Afghan refugee resettlement programmes.
“The UK is also doing all it can to encourage other countries to help. Not only do we want to lead by example, we cannot do this alone,” the official stated.
On Tuesday night, Priti Patel chaired an emergency meeting with her Five Eyes counterparts to discuss the developing situation in Afghanistan and what steps each country is taking to provide safe and legal routes for refugees.
Attendees include Karen Andrews, Australia Minister for Home Affairs, Alex Hawke, Australia Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Marco Mendicino, Canada Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Kris Faafoi, New Zealand Minister of Justice, Immigration, and Broadcasting & Media, Alejandro Mayorkas, US Secretary of Homeland Security. (ANI)
Though the details of the meeting were not shared, it is leant that the government’s highest decision making body discussed the tense security situation there, reports Asian Lite News
Amid the evolving situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended the meeting.
Though the details of the meeting were not shared, it is leant that the government’s highest decision making body discussed the tense security situation there.
The government’s priority is to safely evacuate the remaining Indians left there and also ensure the security of Hindus and Sikhs there.
India has initiated various development projects in Afghanistan both by the government and the private sector and their future hangs in the balance due to the political developments in that country.
The main challenge for travel to and from Afghanistan is the operational status of Kabul airport, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said.
In view of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan, the government decided that the Embassy personnel in Kabul would be immediately moved to India. This movement has been completed in two phases and the Ambassador and all other personnel reached New Delhi on Tuesday.
“We have been issuing periodic travel and security advisories for all Indian nationals in Afghanistan, given the deteriorating security situation there. Those already in Afghanistan were urged to return immediately while others were advised not to travel there,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
“Nevertheless, we understand that a number of Indians are stranded in that country, some of whom are employed by third country organisations. Our immediate priority is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently present in Afghanistan. They and/or their employers are requested to urgently share the relevant details with the MEA’s Special Afghanistan Cell,” the statement added.
“As regards Afghan nationals, our visa services will continue through an e-Emergency visa facility, which has been extended to Afghan nationals. We have already received requests from Afghan Sikh and Hindu community leaders, and we are in touch with them,” the MEA said.
Deve Gowda urges Centre to act ‘humane’ on Afghan crisis
Describing the ongoing chaos in Afghanistan as a “difficult moment for India”, Janata Dal (S) supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Tuesday appealed to the Central government to respond in a “humane manner”.
Taking to Twitter, Gowda, who served as Prime Minister from June 1, 1996, to April 21, 1997, said India should develop an independent policy towards Afghanistan, which has now come under the Taliban.
“Reports from Afghanistan show how fear and uncertainty have gripped the country. It is a difficult moment for India and the entire region,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
“We have to respond in a human manner besides developing an independent policy of fostering friendship and peace in our neighbourhood,” the JD-S supremo added.
Meanwhile, expressing concern over the Afghanistan crisis, Karnataka’s Energy and Kannada and Culture Minister, V. Sunil Kumar in his tweet stated that the inhuman Taliban has taken over the Afghanistan capital, leading to the suspension of women’s rights and the taking over of a radio station that now broadcasts Quran instead of music.
“Such fanaticism is exceeding the extreme limits. I pray for the defeat of fanaticism and the return of democracy,” Kumar said, slamming the Talibani regime in his tweet.
Iran to make efforts to stabilise Afghanistan: President Raisi
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that his country would make serious efforts to stabilise Afghanistan as the country’s government fell on Sunday and the Taliban took over the control, a media report said.
“The military defeat and pull out of the US from Afghanistan must be turned into an opportunity to revive life, security and sustainable peace in the country,” Tehran Times quoted Raisi as saying.
“Iran will make efforts for the stability of Afghanistan as today’s first need, and as a neighboring and brotherly country invites all groups to agree on a national consensus,” Raisi added, Tehran Times reported.
Tehran has been closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, the Taliban in the first presser announced that “soon they will reach a settlement through which an Islamic government will be established in the country.
Reports from #Afghanistan show how fear and uncertainty have gripped the country. It is a difficult moment for India and the entire region. We have to respond in a humane manner besides developing an independent policy of fostering friendship and peace in our neighbourhood.
Britain plans to relocate 5,000 people as part of an Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, designed to help present and past employees of the UK government, reports Asian Lite News
Britain on Tuesday announced plans to welcome up to 5,000 Afghans fleeing the Taliban during the first year of a new resettlement programme that will prioritise women, girls and religious and other minorities.
Foreign powers are assessing how to respond after Islamist Taliban insurgents rapidly seized control in Afghanistan, with many fearing a swift unravelling of women’s rights, despite reassurances to the contrary.
Britain already plans to relocate 5,000 people as part of an Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, designed to help present and past employees of the UK government, and on Tuesday announced plans to go further with a new scheme.
“I want to ensure that as a nation we do everything possible to provide support to the most vulnerable fleeing Afghanistan so they can start a new life in safety in the UK,” said Home Secretary Priti Patel.
“The Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme will save lives.”
The Conservative government has faced pressure from opposition parties and charities to set out the specifics of how it will help Afghans.
In the long term, the programme aims to assist up to 20,000 people, Patel’s ministry said.
In an article published by Patel in The Telegraph, she called on other nations to help take in Afghan refugees as well.
“The UK is also doing all it can to encourage other countries to help. Not only do we want to lead by example, we cannot do this alone,” she wrote.
As the situation rapidly changed over the last few days, it has been difficult to evacuate people stuck in other parts of Afghanistan where there is no access to an airport or a third country.
“The complex picture on the ground means there will be significant challenges delivering the scheme, but the government is working at speed to address these obstacles,” the Home Office said in a statement.
Earlier, Britain’s Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had said that Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan was a “failure of the international community”.
“All of us know that Afghanistan is not finished. It’s an unfinished problem for the world and the world needs to help it,” he told BBC television.
The former British Army officer last week said US President Joe Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump had secured a “rotten deal” with the Islamist militants that allowed their return.
He maintained the 20-year intervention by US-led forces in Afghanistan “wasn’t a waste, it wasn’t for nothing” but accused Western powers of being politically short-sighted.
“If it’s a failure, it’s a failure of the international community to not realise that you don’t fix things overnight,” he said.
“I’m afraid when you deal with a country like Afghanistan, that is 1,000 years of history effectively and civil war, you manage its problems and you might have to manage it for 100 years.
“It’s not something that you just rock in, rock out and expect something to be fixed.”
US former national security adviser HR McMaster meanwhile slammed his country’s failure to realise the Taliban would swiftly take control, calling it “wilful ignorance”.
The retired army lieutenant general told Times Radio it was “clear that this kind of collapse was going to happen”, after the deal brokered by Trump, who sacked him in 2018.
The deal weakened the Afghan government and security forces and strengthened the Taliban, he said, adding: “We stood idly by and we turned a blind eye. This was utterly predictable.”
Britain last month withdrew the majority of its 750 remaining troops in Afghanistan, but last week announced that 600 soldiers would return to help with repatriation.
Wallace told Sky News 370 embassy staff and British citizens were flown out on Saturday and Sunday, with 782 Afghans scheduled to leave in the next 24 to 36 hours.
Officials are aiming to evacuate 1,200 to 1,500 people from Afghanistan a day. The first flight arrived back at a British air force base on Sunday night, his department said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said Britain would help some 3,000 nationals to leave but questions are being asked why he did not do more to oppose Washington’s withdrawal.
The Times newspaper called the rapid pull-out “unforced and unnecessary” and said it was becoming “the greatest disaster in American foreign policy for almost 50 years”.
The head of parliament’s foreign affairs committee, Tom Tugendhat, likened it to the Suez crisis of 1956, which laid bare the limits of Britain’s global influence.
Britain’s plans include increased humanitarian aid to the region and resettlement of refugees, it said…reports Asian Lite News.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden have spoken over telephone about the current situation in Afghanistan following Taliban takeover, the Downing Street said in a statement.
The two leaders welcomed their countries’ cooperation in recent days to help evacuate their nationals, current and former staff, and others from Afghanistan, the statement said, Xinhua news agency reported.
“They resolved to continue working closely together on this in the days and weeks ahead to allow as many people as possible to leave the country,” it added.
Johnson and Biden, during the phone call on Tuesday, also agreed on the need for the global community to come together to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Britain’s plans include increased humanitarian aid to the region and resettlement of refugees, it said.
Britain’s Home Office said on Tuesday night that up to 20,000 Afghan refugees will be offered a route to set up homes in Britain over five years.
In their phone conversation, the two leaders also agreed to hold a virtual Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ meeting in the coming days to discuss the Afghanistan situation.
In a televised speech on Monday, Biden stood by his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan while acknowledging Kabul’s collapse to the Taliban came much sooner than Washington had anticipated.
Just over a week, the Taliban, which the US overthrew in 2001, went from winning control of its first provincial capital to taking over Kabul, capital of the war-torn Asian country.
Johnson said on Sunday that the US decision to pull out of Afghanistan has “accelerated things”.
