The United States has finally ended its mission in Afghanistan after two decades, but those who are left behind in the country now being run by the Taliban are facing a harrowing time. The insurgents are not only conducting door-to-door searches, looking for people who helped American and allied forces, they are also pinning letters on their houses warning them to "surrender or die".
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According to Daily Mail, the letters pinned to the doors ask people to attend a Taliban-convened court where their punishment will be announced. The letters warn that failure to attend the court will result in death penalty, the Daily Mail reported.
It spoke to a number of such people who have received these letters. One of them, whose construction company helped the UK military build roads in Helmand province, said he is hiding because he doesn't want to die. The 34-year-old also said that the letter pinned at his door was stamped by the Taliban.
Another person the Daily Mail spoke to worked as a translator for the British military. He said the letter has branded him as "spy of the infidel" along with a warning to give himself up or pay with his life.
{{/usCountry}}Another person the Daily Mail spoke to worked as a translator for the British military. He said the letter has branded him as "spy of the infidel" along with a warning to give himself up or pay with his life.
{{/usCountry}}Another translator found the letter in his shoe after he came back from prayers at a mosque.
These men said they wanted to get out of Afghanistan and had even gone to Kabul airport, but couldn't board an evacuation flight due to the rush of the people. They told Daily Mail that they are now trapped and fear for the lives of their families.
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The Taliban used this tactic of issuing threats using the letters in villages when they were in power in Afghanistan more than 20 years ago. But this time, they are now being widely circulated in cities.
This shows that the governing style of the insurgent group has hardly changed form its last rule, despite Taliban leaders portraying the group as moderate.
Meanwhile, celebratory gunfire echoed across Kabul as Taliban fighters took control of the airport before dawn on Tuesday following the withdrawal of the last US troops, ending 20 years of war that left the Islamic militia stronger than it was in 2001.
America's longest war took the lives of nearly 2,500 US troops and an estimated 240,000 Afghans, and cost some $2 trillion.