Taliban demand peaceful transfer of power after reaching Kabul: Top developments today

The Taliban, which has entered the capital city of Kabul, have demanded for a peaceful transition of power in the “next few days.”

With a Taliban regime in Afghanistan imminent, the militants belonging to the group have entered the capital city of Kabul and have been asked to wait after the government had conceded that it was preparing for a transfer of power.

Mazar-i-Sharif and Jalalbad, the two major Afghan cities, were captured by the militants earlier on Sunday. In picture - Taliban fighters sit on a vehicle along the street in Jalalabad province. (AFP)

Several countries have shut their embassies in the country, following the rapid takeover by Taliban after the US had started pulling back its troops. Also, the return of the Taliban to power after two decades have sparked fears that the group would resort to its hardline, ultra-conservative form of government.

Here is all you need to know about the top developments in the country on Sunday -

• An Afghan delegation including the country’s top official Abdullah Abdullah is set to travel to Qatar to meet with the Taliban representatives, the Reuters reported citing Fawzi Koofi, a negotiator for Kabul. The two sides are expected to discuss the transition of power in the presence of US officials, Reuters further reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
• The Taliban, which has entered the capital city of Kabul, have demanded for a peaceful transition of power in the “next few days.” Suhail Shaheen, part of the Taliban’s negotiating team in Qatar, told the BBC on Sunday that the group wanted a peaceful transfer of power. “We will see that in the future as the peaceful transfer is taking place,” news agency AFP quoted Shaheen as saying. He also said that the group won’t target foreign embassies and diplomats.
• Officials at the US embassy said that their diplomats were moved to the Kabul airport using military helicopters after the Taliban breached the city. Italy, Spain and Germany are also working on evacuating their personnel, according to news reports. Meanwhile, Russia has said that it will not remove its diplomats from the country. It also said that the Taliban had assured the safety of the embassy in Kabul.
• NATO also confirmed that their diplomatic presence in the country would be continued. It is also “helping to maintain operations at the Kabul airport to keep Afghanistan connected with the outside world,” the Associated Press reported.
• On Sunday, major Afghan cities that were remaining with the government in Kabul fell rapidly to the Taliban. Mazar-i-Sharif and Jalalbad, the two major cities, were captured by the militants earlier in the day. The fall of Kabul symbolises the complete takeover of the country by the militants after two decades.