The United States Pentagon suggested that President Joe Biden extend the end of the mission to withdraw troops from Afghanistan to after August 31 this year.
The US magazine “Foreign Policy” quoted sources as saying that Taliban leaders are seeking to form a management committee of 12 members including Ahmed Masood that can be recognized by the international community.
On the other hand, CNN quoted sources as reporting that the US military recommended that President Biden extend the deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan to after August 31, and pointed out that 5,800 soldiers should be evacuated.
The White House stated that approximately 11,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul in the past 12 hours, bringing the total number of people evacuated since the end of July this year to 53,000.
On the other hand, US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan emphasized that the United States will abide by its commitment to complete the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan before the end of this month. He also pointed out that the United States is holding consultations with the Taliban on what happened in the Afghan capital Kabul.
Sullivan emphasized that the United States is capable of responding to the threat posed by terrorism in Afghanistan or any other region in the world without having to deploy any military presence there.
British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace has stated that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will try to persuade US President Biden to extend the mission of the US military until the end of this month.
On the other hand, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it considers it necessary to extend the mandate of the troops.
The Taliban said they would never accept any extension beyond the end of this month.
Kabul Airport
Against this background, the German military stated that clashes broke out with unidentified armed men around Kabul Airport on the morning of the 23rd. The clashes resulted in the death of an Afghan soldier and the wounding of three others.
Reuters reported that, citing military sources, that so far, the German army has evacuated about 3,000 people from Afghanistan.
Al Jazeera’s cameras successfully entered the Kabul International Airport and captured the scene of accelerated evacuation.
The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Qatar has effectively played a leading role in ensuring the safe passage of German citizens and other foreign citizens from the Afghan capital Kabul.
The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs added on Twitter that the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a phone call with Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed bin Abdul-Rahman that Germany is grateful for Qatar’s actions to ensure a safe transit route. .
Qatari forces are assisting in the evacuation of Western countries and Afghan nationals registered on the departure list from Kabul Airport. So far, Qatar has sent several planes to transport thousands of people from the Afghan capital Kabul to their destinations.
Management Committee
On the other hand, “Foreign Policy” quoted sources familiar with the matter as saying that the leaders of the Taliban movement will form a 12-member management committee.
The report pointed out that the top leader of the committee is expected to be Abdul-Ghani Baradar, Muhammad Yakub, the son of the founder of the Taliban movement, Muhammad Omar, and the military strategy that will bring control of Afghanistan to the Taliban. Maker Khalil Haqqani.
The report pointed out that both Baladar and Yakub are working hard to include Ahmed Masood (the son of the late military leader Ahmed Shah Masood), who opposed Taliban rule, to the management committee.
Taliban fighters outside Kabul Airport. At present, tens of thousands of Afghan and foreign citizens are evacuating Afghanistan through the airport (Reuters)The report pointed out that the Taliban movement will avoid the establishment of important positions such as the president or even the Emir, and will only seek to establish an internationally recognized management committee.
The Taliban movement’s comments on the content of the management committee in this report were not immediately available.
Taliban spokesman Zabihara Mujahid said that the future regime in Afghanistan will include all levels of society and some officials from the previous government.
Mujahid added at a press conference in Kabul that the Taliban movement is responsible for achieving security and stability in Afghanistan. He also said that in the past 20 years, the Afghan people have lived a life lacking freedom. He also emphasized that the Taliban are not It cares about the past, but looks to the future. It wants to turn a new page, and does not want to retaliate against anyone.
As the Taliban movement seeks to form a government, German government spokesman Stefan Sebelt said that the United States, Britain, Italy, France, Germany, Japan and Canada will hold the G7 summit online on the 24th. , And the issue of Afghanistan will be discussed at the meeting.
The spokesperson added at a press conference in Berlin that all parties involved will coordinate at the meeting in order to reach a consensus on the position of the Taliban movement and the future government of Afghanistan.
Panjshir Valley
On the ground, the Taliban movement spokesperson Zabihara Mujahid said that the movement has regained control of three areas in Baghlan Province, and that forces loyal to the downfalling government once regained these areas a week ago.
The spokesperson added in a tweet that after some anti-Taliban military leaders refused to hand over the province of Panjshir in the northeastern part of the country, armed men of the movement were besieging the area.
He also explained that the Taliban are trying to resolve the situation in the province through negotiations.
According to videos posted on social media by activists, Taliban fighters appeared in the surrounding areas of the Panjshir Valley the day after the movement announced that it would send troops to regain the northeastern province.
In the same context, Muhammad Naim, a spokesman for the Taliban political office, stated that the movement cannot accept that the Panjshir area exists outside its control, because it is also the land of Afghanistan.
In an earlier interview with Al Jazeera reporters, Naeim emphasized that although the movement has sent armed men to Panjshir, it does not want to go to war, but seeks to resolve the Afghan issue in a peaceful way.
Ahmed Masood, son of the late Afghanistan military leader Ahmed Shah Masood (assassinated in 2001), called in Panjshir a few days ago to launch a “national resistance movement” against the rule of the Taliban
On August 15 this year, the Taliban movement took control of the capital Kabul in less than 10 days, prompting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country.
Although the United States and NATO have spent billions of dollars in building Afghan security forces in the past 20 years, the Taliban still quickly gained control of the country.
The Taliban’s control of the situation in Afghanistan coincides with the implementation of the U.S. withdrawal agreement reached between the United States and the Taliban in Qatar. It needs to be pointed out that in accordance with the provisions of this agreement, the withdrawal will be completed on August 31.
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