98 countries agree with the Taliban on safe withdrawal. The Taliban is set to announce a 26-member cabinet soon. It is said that this will include all the members of the ‘leadership council’ or the leading council. Taliban spokesman Hibatullah Akhundzada, his aide Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of the Haqqani network, Mullah Mohammad Yaqub, the son of Taliban founder Mollah Omar, and the head of the Taliban Military Commission have begun consultations on the formation of a government in Kandahar, sources said.
Earlier, senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said in a televised speech on Saturday that the Taliban leadership was currently in talks with various ethnic groups, political parties and the Islamic Emirate to form a government that would be acceptable and recognized inside and outside Afghanistan. News: Voice of America, Reuters, Geo News, Deutsche Welle, CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC, CGTN, News18 and Aztak.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Voice of America that the process of forming a government was almost complete. He said the Taliban leadership had assigned Chief Assistant Sirajuddin Haqqani and another assistant chief, Mullah Mohammad Yaqub, to finalize the cabinet. The cabinet can have up to 26 members and people from outside the council can also join. Supreme Leader Akhundzada himself will give final approval to the cabinet members, Zabiullah said.
Security Council meeting: The five permanent members of the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the rapidly changing situation in Afghanistan. The Security Council requested that in addition to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s ongoing inspections in Iran, that it monitor Iran’s compliance with “the steps required by the IAEA Board”.
According to a report in Pakistan’s Dawn media, France and Britain could raise a proposal to establish a safe zone in Kabul. Dawn said France and Britain were considering the proposal to provide security at Kabul airport for those who want to leave Afghanistan and to continue humanitarian relief in the country.
In addition, the United States is going to hold a virtual meeting with the participation of foreign ministers of several countries. The meeting will be aimed at determining future strategies for Afghanistan.
A State Department official said the United States would hold meetings with its allies as work on the evacuation of US troops and civilians from Afghanistan nears completion. The meeting will be attended by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, Turkey, Qatar and the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the State Department said.
9 killed in US drone strike in Kabul 9 killed in US drone strike in Kabul 9 killed in US drone strike in Kabul The United States has said a car bomb had exploded at an international airport in Kabul. The attackers in the car were also killed in the drone strike. However, it was not known how many people were in the car. The U.S. Central Command said last Sunday that the United States had launched a defensive air strike on a suicide bomber suspected of posing an “imminent” threat to the airport in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Sunday.
The U.S. military acknowledged Sunday night that there had been no civilian casualties in the attack. The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a U.S. military base. There may have been some more casualties. But what really happened there is unclear. We are investigating the matter. “We are deeply sorry for any loss of innocence,” he said. The statement came after CNN news broke. Nine members of the same family, including six children, were killed in the drone strike, CNN reported. A brother of the deceased told this information to a local journalist who was working for CNN.
Al Jazeera quoted U.S. officials as saying that a U.S. drone strike had struck a group at the Kabul airport on Sunday. Several suicide bombers were killed. However, details about Sunday’s incident have not yet been obtained. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. One of them was a big explosion.
Taliban condemns US drone strike in Afghanistan The Taliban has condemned a US drone strike in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Sunday. The group’s spokesman, Jabiullah Mujahid, said such attacks by the United States were illegal in other countries. In a written response to CGTN to Chinese media, Zabiullah Mujahid said the United States should inform the Taliban if there is a potential threat in Afghanistan. Civilians should not be harmed by indiscriminate attacks. A Taliban spokesman made the remarks in response to a US drone strike near the Kabul airport on Sunday.
Multiple rockets intercepted in Kabul skies: At least five rockets fired at Kabul airport have been deactivated by US missile defense management, a US official has said. The rocket attack came at the very last stage of the withdrawal of US troops from the city. The U.S. military says a car bomb had exploded at an Iraqi police recruiting center at Kisak, west of Mosul. It was not immediately clear whether the missile defense management was able to deactivate all the rockets that flew.
There have been indications that no U.S. casualties have been reported so far in the rocket attacks; However, this information may change later, the official said. The White House also confirmed the rocket attack on Kabul airport. The matter has been reported to President Joe Biden, and White House press secretary Jane Sackie said the airport’s operations were “running smoothly.”
98 countries sign agreement with Taliban for safe withdrawal: 98 countries have reached an agreement with the Taliban for the “safe and orderly” withdrawal of foreign nationals and Afghan nationals with proper travel documents even after the August 31 deadline for the withdrawal of multinational forces from Afghanistan. A statement issued jointly by the European Union and NATO on Monday said: The United States, Britain, Germany and France are among the 96 countries that have signed agreements with the Taliban. “We have received assurances from the Taliban that any foreign nationals and any Afghan nationals allowed to travel will be allowed to leave the country and travel abroad with security and discipline,” the statement said.
“We are committed to ensuring that our citizens, compatriots, residents, workers, Afghans working with us and those at risk continue to travel freely outside Afghanistan,” the statement said. Jack Sullivan, the US president’s security adviser, said on Sunday that the Americans who have decided to stay in Afghanistan will not be trapped in Afghanistan.
He said that in order to make it possible for them to come out only when they want to come out in the future, the management will continue to do so. Meanwhile, France and Britain are planning to propose a joint “safe zone” at the United Nations in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on Monday.
France’s talks with the Taliban: French President Emmanuel Macron told the media that the French envoy had spoken to the Taliban. On Sunday, he said he had talked to the Taliban more than once about rescuing French nationals from Afghanistan. However, Macron said France had not yet made a decision on accepting the Taliban as its administrator.
On Monday, several western countries are scheduled to hold a virtual meeting. There will be a discussion about their decision on the Taliban. Macron told reporters that the French administration had spoken to the Taliban more than once about rescuing French nationals. The Taliban are assisting in the rescue operation. He said thousands of French had been rescued from Afghanistan so far.
According to Macron, there is no reason to believe that this created France’s relationship with the Taliban. France has not yet made a clear decision on whether to recognize the Taliban. Three things are important for France. One. Human rights. Especially the rights of women. Two. Afghans who want to go abroad must be allowed to go. Punitive action cannot be taken. Three. Terrorists should not be allowed to set up bases in Afghanistan. If these conditions are met, France will consider recognition.
Former Prime Minister of Afghanistan and head of Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has said that the West has no right to give any guidance on women’s clothing in Afghanistan. He made the remarks in an interview with Pakistani media in Kabul on Monday. She said women’s clothing in Afghanistan would be determined in line with Islamic principles. The Taliban should adhere to the established policy on women’s clothing, allowing them to work.
Hekmatyar said that even if a unified government was formed in the country after the Taliban took control, the United States and its allies would not recognize Afghanistan. Hekmatyar said the council set up to form the new government was in talks with the Taliban. In the meantime, a decision has been taken to form an interim government and interim heads of government institutions have also been appointed.
“We want the Taliban government to work effectively and we urge the Afghan people to work together to support the new government,” he said. He also warned India not to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. “All countries, including India, have an interest in maintaining peace in Afghanistan,” he said. Like Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, India should acknowledge the mistakes of the past and declare non-interference.
He added that it was the responsibility of the Indian government to reassure the Afghan people that it would stay away from Indian interference in Kabul. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar gave the interview on Tuesday, a day before the withdrawal of multinational forces from Afghanistan.
Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai has said that Afghanistan should not be dragged into the civil war between India and Pakistan. Stanikzai is rumored to be the Taliban’s foreign minister. In an interview with an international media outlet, Stanikzai said the Taliban wanted to maintain good relations with its neighbors. For days, media reports have been saying that the Taliban could help Pakistan launch an attack on India. “We have not given any such indication,” Stanikzai said. We want to maintain good relations with all our neighbors.
The Taliban leader said he was aware of the long political and geographical conflict between India and Pakistan and said he hoped they would not use Afghanistan in their internal conflict. They have long borders, they can fight among themselves. They should not use Afghanistan for this. We will not allow any country to use our land.
Earlier, the Taliban had said it had no problem with India’s ongoing project in Afghanistan. In the last 20 years, India has worked on a number of projects in Afghanistan, including roads, dams and the parliament building. There are several Indian projects underway in the country. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shahin said the ongoing projects should be completed for the good of Afghans.