Afghanistan News highlights: Four more provincial capitals fell to Taliban on Saturday, says report

The Taliban seized more major cities on Saturday as they raced towards full control of Afghanistan and inched closer to Kabul. Meanwhile, the US sent troops to evacuate their nationals. Taliban managed to gain more ground in border regions and some regions near Kabul.

German army prepares to get local helpers out of Afghanistan

Germany's army is preparing to get embassy staff in Kabul as well as Afghan helpers out ofAfghanistanas Taliban fighters take over more parts of the country, the defence ministry said on Saturday.

"It's now our top priority that we bring those worthy of our protection to Germany," defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said in a statement, adding that the operation would be mandated by parliament. (Reuters )

Russia interested in involving India, Iran to bring peace in Afghanistan: Lavrov

Emphasising that international mediators can play a significant role inAfghanistan, Russia has said that it is interested in involving India and Iran to bring peace in the war-ravaged country.

India, a major stakeholder in ensuring peace and stability inAfghanistan, was not invited to the 'extended Troika' meeting held in Qatar on August 11. Talks under the format had earlier taken place on March 18 and April 30. (PTI)

Qatar calls on Taliban to adopt Afghanistan ceasefire

Qatar called on the Taliban to adopt a ceasefire and reduce escalation Saturday as the insurgents' lightning advance acrossAfghanistanentered a decisive phase.

Doha has facilitated on and off meetings between the militants and the Afghan government for months, with little sign of progress as the Taliban presses its rout of government forces.

"During their meeting, the minister of foreign affairs urged the Taliban to reduce escalation and adopt a ceasefire, which would contribute to accelerating efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement that would guarantee a prosperous future for the government and people ofAfghanistan," the Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement. (AFP)

Afghanistan President Ghani appoints Sami Sadat as chief of security for Kabul (TOLOnews)

Afghan army chief presents precautionary plan for securing Kabul and adjacent provinces in meeting chaired by President Ghani, according to a report

Qatar urges Taliban to cease fire at meeting in Doha

Qatar said it had urged the Taliban to cease fire and pull back their offensive in Afghanistan during a meeting between the Qatari foreign minister and a top representative of the Afghan insurgents in Doha on Saturday.

Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met the head of the Taliban's political bureau, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, to follow up on peace talks hosted by the Gulf country, the Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

President Ghani met with political leaders and decided to set up a team to represent the government for negotiations, according to the Presidential Palace.

Reports suggest that Faryab central prison has been broken and inmates have been released.

United States Air Force carried out attacks outside of Kandahar airport, according to reports quoting sources

The attack is reported to have killed several Taliban fighters.

Afghan forces claim neutralisation of top commander Mullah Bahadur

Qatar foreign minister meets Taliban head in Doha, urges de-escalation and ceasefire

Qatar's foreign minister meets head of Taliban’s political office, urges de-escalation and ceasefire to speed up political settlement, according a report by Al Jazeera.

An Afghan policeman stands guard at a checkpoint along the road in Kabul. Credit: AFP Photo

Taliban now 10 kilometres away from Kabul, according to a report by News18

Taliban at gates of Mazar-i-Sharif city in Balkh, according to reports.

People and cars gather in the Eid Gah Darwaza area as a flag is hoisted on the Kandahar city gate, in Kandahar, Afghanistan in this screen grab. Credit: Reuters Photo

Taliban claims Shigal district and Gardiz city of Paktia province.

Zabihullah Mujahid, says they captured Karan Wa Manjan, the last remaining district in Badakhshan province.

Taliban take over radio station after capturing Afghan city

The Taliban seized a radio station in Kandahar and took to the airwaves Saturday after capturing much of southern Afghanistan in a rapid offensive that has raised fears of a full takeover less than three weeks before the US is set to withdraw its last troops.

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Paktia central prison fell to the Taliban, say reports quoting sources

Taliban fighters stand guard inside the city of Ghazni, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan. The Taliban have completed their sweep of the country's south on Friday, as they took more provincial capitals. Credit: AP Photo

Taliban capture city near eastern border, says Afghan lawmaker

Khalid Asad, a lawmaker from the eastern province, says the local capital, Sharana, fell to the insurgents on Saturday.

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Capital of Kunar, Asadabad city, has fallen to Taliban, according to reports

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Kabul was not yet in a dangerous situation

If you watch the Taliban's actions, you will see that they are trying to isolate Kabul, he said.

Pakistani soldiers check documents of stranded Afghan nationals returning to Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman on August 14, 2021, after the Taliban took control of the Afghan border town in a rapid offensive.

Credit: AFP Photo

Taliban capture Pul-e-Alam, 70 kms from Kabul: Local provincial council member

The Taliban fighters did not face much resistance, he told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Austria keeps hard line on deporting Afghans

Austria stuck on Saturday to its hard line on sending home Afghans whose requests for asylum fail even as Taliban insurgent advances prompted other European Union countries to reconsider similar stances.

"It is easy to call for a general ban on deportations to Afghanistan, while on the other hand negating the expected flight movements. Those who need protection must receive it as close as possible to their country of origin," Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told the APA news agency.

Taliban rule in Afghanistan is not in US's interest, says Republican Senator Lindsay Graham

"Preventing further chaos is my first task. Consultations are underway with political leaders, the international community and key government officials," Ghani said.

19th provincial capital, Sharana, has been captured by the Taliban: Reports

Will prevent further instability, says Ghani as Taliban nears Kabul

"Will try not to allow the imposed conflict to cause killing of innocents, loss of 20-year gains, destruction of public infrastructure", said Ghani.

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Will prevent further instability, says Ghani as Taliban nears Kabul

An interim government likely to be formed with Taliban in control of the provinces they have captured, according to reports quoting sources

President Ghani to speak on the current situation of Afghanistan at 2:30 pm IST (Reports)

President Ghani has recorded a resignation message, say reports

Taliban capture Pol-e-Alam, just 70 km from Kabul: Provincial council member

Taliban capture Logar province, just south of capital: Afghan lawmaker

Taliban launch multi-pronged assault on Mazar-e-Sharif

An Afghan official says the Taliban have launched a multi-pronged assault on Mazar-e-Sharif, a major city in northern Afghanistan defended by powerful former warlords.
Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor in northern Balkh province, says the Taliban attacked the city from several directions early Saturday. There was no immediate word on casualties. (AP)

World Punjabi Organisation urges Home Minister to evacuate Hindu, Sikh families from Kabul (PTI)

Taliban take over radio station after capturing Kandahar (AP)

Weapon seizures 'massive boon' for Taliban as cities fall

TheTaliban's social media is awash with videos ofTalibanfighters seizing weapons caches -- the majority supplied by Western powers. (AFP)

US troops arrive in Afghan capital to assist evacuations (Reuters)

As Taliban advances, China lays groundwork to accept an awkward reality

A series of photos published last month by Chinese state media of Foreign Minister Wang Yi standing shoulder to shoulder with visiting Taliban official decked out in traditional tunic and turban raised eyebrows on the country's social media.

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Marine vanguard lands in Kabul as US speed up evacuations

The first forces of a Marine battalion arrived in Kabul at week's end to stand guard as the US speedup evacuation flights for some American diplomats and thousands of Afghans, spurred by a lightning Taliban offensive that increasingly is isolatingAfghanistan's capital. (AP)

Afghanistan is spinning out of control: UN chief

The Afghan Military was built over 20 years — How did it collapse so quickly?

Building the Afghan security apparatus was one of the key parts of the Obama administration’s strategy as it sought to find a way to hand over security and leave nearly a decade ago. These efforts produced an army modeled in the image of the USmilitary.

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Taliban is already inspiring terror beyond Afghanistan

The spillover has already begun, before the Taliban have even reached Kabul. City after city is falling as the Islamist insurgents draw closer to the capital. And it will only get worse from here as the conflict expands beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

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Taliban near gates of Kabul as embassies prepare for evacuations

The Taliban seized more major cities on Friday as they raced towards full control of Afghanistan and inched closer to Kabul, with the United States and Britain deploying thousands of troops to evacuate their citizens from the capital.

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Fearing Kabul’s fall, US officials implore Afghans to ‘fight’ (NYT)

Biden speaks to Blinken, Austin and Sullivan about Afghanistan: W House

USPresident Joe Biden on Friday spoke to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and national security adviser Jake Sullivan about "ongoing efforts to safely drawdown the civilian footprint in Afghanistan," the White House said in a tweet.(Reuters)

In desperation, US scours for countries willing to house Afghan refugees

President Joe Biden's administration has been holding secret talks with more countries than previously known in a desperate attempt to secure deals to temporarily house at-risk Afghans who worked for the USgovernment, four USofficials told Reuters.

The previously unreported discussions with such countries as Kosovo and Albania underscore the administration's desire to protect US-affiliated Afghans from Taliban reprisals while safely completing the process of approving their USvisas.

Taliban imposing 'horrifying' curbs on Afghan women's rights: UN

"Horrifying" reports have emerged that the Taliban have severely restricted the rights of Afghan women and girls in areas they have seized, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday.

The Taliban have been inching closer to Kabul and full control of Afghanistan, fueling fears of a return to their brutal regime that was toppled by the United States-led 2001 invasion.

"I'm... deeply disturbed by early indications that that the Taliban are imposing severe restrictions on human rights in the areas under their control, particularly targeting women and journalists," Guterres told reporters. (AFP)