widthWhen the Taliban occupied the presidential palace and national television in Kabul on Sunday night, one of their spokesperson declared the war over. “Thank God, the war in this country is over,” Mohamed Naim said. “Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the Mujahideen (the Taliban). They are reaping the fruits of their hard work and sacrifices over the past two decades.” Al Jazeera’s footage showed a group of fighters fleeing the president. Shlavgani settled down at his desk. In a recording, they listened to the chanting of a prayer leader. The two fighters seemed to wipe the tears from the corners of their eyes excitedly.
At the same time, a dramatic scene is being staged at Kabul Airport. Thousands of people walked and drove there that night, desperately trying to leave the capital surrounded by the Taliban. The video showed that there were hundreds of aircraft approaching randomly on the tarmac without any treatment. Early in the morning, more and more people flocked to it. They squeezed on the airplane stairs and swayed along the railing into the civilian airplane. The military part of the airport is equally eye-catching. Broadcasting company Tolo showed a photo of a young Afghan grabbing the outer wall of an American military aircraft when it had taxied to its take-off position.
“An open and inclusive Islamic government”?
Another photo shows people huddling together in panic, breaking through obstacles and walking towards the terminal building. Gunshots can be heard in the background, possibly due to security guards trying to stop the attack with aerial warning shots. According to the Wall Street Journal, at least three people were killed by gunshot wounds at the airport. Others are said to have fallen into the crowd from the stairs of the plane or even when the plane took off. According to US media reports, the US military is controlling airspace and flight safety, including the civilian part of the airport.
When civilian flights were suspended and US military planes continued to take off and land, many Afghans responded with anger and disgust on social media. The Afghan aviation authority later stated that the civilian part of the airport had been closed until further notice. The airspace is “reserved to the military.” The political future of Afghanistan was only preliminary on Monday. A Taliban spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the new government will be announced “soon.” You don’t want to be isolated by the international. The same spokesperson told the Associated Press that the Taliban will hold talks in the next few days to form an “open and inclusive Islamic government.”
Previously, former President Hamid Karzai, Chairman of the High National Reconciliation Council Abdullah Abdullah, and former Mujahideen leader Gulbudin Shikmatyar have positioned themselves as negotiating partners. Karzai announced on Facebook and Twitter on Sunday evening that he would form a coordination committee with Abdullah and Hikmatyar. This should enable the peaceful transfer of power. This raises the question of whether a prior agreement has been reached with the Taliban, and the Taliban will almost surrender without a fight. Former northern strongman Atta Mohammad Noor (Atta Mohammad Noor) spoke of a “conspiracy” before fleeing the Taliban for Uzbekistan on Saturday. On Monday, it was unclear whether the Taliban really wanted to share their power.
