Topline
Taliban forces invaded Kabul Sunday, and they appear poised to takeover Afghanistan's largest city. This expedites the U.S. evacuation from the region. The Taliban have quickly seized control of many cities in Afghanistan, surpassing expectations as the U.S. pulls its military out of the Middle East country after almost two decades.
As Taliban fighters invaded the Afghan capital, Kabul, Afghanistan on August 15, smoke rises near the U.S. Embassy. ASSOCIATED PRNS
The Key Facts
Taliban leaders have instructed Taliban forces to stay at Kabul's gates, according to Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman. Sources cited by the Associated Press say Taliban negotiators went to the presidential palace to discuss the transfer of power. CNN reports that Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal, the acting Afghan Interior Minister, stated Sunday that the government would peacefully transfer to a transitional government. However, he did not give any details about what this new administration would look. According to Reuters, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani is now in Tajikistan after leaving Kabul. According to Reuters, the U.S. is currently pulling out its diplomatic forces from Afghanistan. However, a core group U.S. diplomatic staff will remain at Kabul Airport as long as security conditions permit. U.S. Secretary-of-State Antony Blinken maintained that the U.S.'s withdrawal from Afghanistan was justified despite the Talibans entry into Kabul on Sunday. He said on Meet the Press that it was a fiction and that if the U.S. had delayed its withdrawal, the outcome would have turned out better.
Important Quote
Blinken said Sunday that the U.S. had achieved its anti-terrorism goals of entering Afghanistan following September 11. Despite being criticised for its quick exit from the area, Blinken stated that the U.S. had been successful in achieving these initial goals. On Meet the Press, Blinken stated that the idea of us signing up to remain there in the middle of civil war...was not in the national interests. He also noted that it was not possible for us to stay there for five, 10, or 20 more years.
What to Watch
The U.S. had planned to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by August 31. This timeline has not been affected by the Taliban's quick takeover. Citizens fear that if the Taliban take control of Afghanistan's government, their rights could be severely limited, just as it was when the Taliban controlled the region in 1990s. This includes women, whose rights were almost completely restricted by the Taliban, which prohibited them from working, studying, or being seen in public without an escort.
Important Background
As the U.S. withdraws its military forces from the region, the Taliban's entry into Kabul completes their swift takeover of Afghanistan's largest cities. After capturing Mazar-i-Sharif in the north, the group took control over Jalalabad on Sunday. Kabul is the last major Afghan city that remains to be captured. After Biden in April announced that the U.S. would withdraw its troops from Afghanistan after 20 years, the Talibans' retaking control of Jalalabad was accomplished much faster than expected. U.S. military intelligence had predicted that Taliban could retake Kabul in three months. After the U.S. had established a military presence in Afghanistan in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the Taliban retreated from Kabul. This was almost exactly 20 years prior to the fall of Kabul.
Continue reading
Taliban enter Kabul and await peaceful transfer (Associated Press).
The Taliban Could Retake Kabul in 20 Years, Almost exactly 20 Years after the U.S. They were driven out (Forbes).
Biden Dispatching 5,000 Troops To Aid Afghanistan Evacuation (Forbes)
Are Wealthy Countries Taking in Afghan Refugees? Here's what Europe, Canada and the U.S. are doing. (Forbes)
