The video appears to show Taliban forces inside the presidential palace
As the Taliban continue to strengthen their position in Afghanistan, with their leaders having already declared “the war is over”, Afghans awoke to a new world as the group took major locations throughout Kabul.
With embassies and civilians being evacuated, detachments of British and US troops being removed and regrouped to positions in and around the airport and the majority of Taliban forces now less than seven miles from the capital, they are now in the strongest position they have been for two decades.
So much so, in fact, that yesterday, Al Jazeera acquired footage of what appears to be Taliban soldiers already having infiltrated the presidential palace, sitting around the nation’s very seat of power.
President Ashraf Ghani, who has been under significant pressure for some time, is believed to have fled the country, though he refuses to resign as some expected.
Despite assuring the Afghan people that they would not take any particular territory “by force” and that “revenge” was not a part of their motivation, fighting has broken out in Kabul and across other parts of Afghanistan.
Perhaps most crucial in deciding whether they will succeed was the capturing of Ghazni: a location that is significant due to its location relative to Kabul. Just 150km (93 miles) from the capital and connected by the Kabul-Kandahar motorway, this is a vital link between militant strongholds south of the city.
Moreover, yesterday Afghan forces at Bagram airbase — which previously saw more than 100,000 U.S. troops pass through its gates — surrendered to the Taliban, according to US defence officials who spoke to NBC News.
Related links
- At least five dead amid Kabul airport chaos as Taliban takes capital
- Taliban enter outskirts of Kabul in move to retake whole of Afghanistan
- Last remaining British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan
