Taliban Takes Control of Presidential Palace in Afghanistan

• The sudden take-over of Kabul, the Afghanistan capital, by the Islamic group the Taliban has caused panic in the country
• Hundreds of Afghans and diplomats in the country are scrambling to leave the country following the collapse of civilian government
• The international community has called on the Taliban and all other parties to exercise utmost restraint in order to protect the lives of citizens

Emerging reports indicate that the Islamic group, the Taliban, has taken control of the presidential palace in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

According to Aljazeera, top Taliban official, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who heads the group’s political bureau, said the next step is to begin governing. The publication stated that it obtained exclusive footage of Taliban leaders addressing the media from the palace on Sunday, August 15.

Read also

Helen Zille refuses to denounce Phoenix posters: "Political parties continue to sow racial tension"

The president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, had fled the country amid the Taliban’s rapid advance to the capital. A spokesman for the Taliban’s political office, Mohammad Naeem, told Al Jazeera that the group wants peaceful international relations.

He said the type and form of the new government in Afghanistan would be made clear soon. Naeem declared that the war in Afghanistan is after Taliban fighters ceased the capital, Kabul.

He said:

“We have reached what we were seeking, which is the freedom of our country and the independence of our people. 'We will not allow anyone to use our lands to target anyone and we do not want to harm others.”

CNN reported that the American flag at the US embassy in Kabul has been taken down. Sources familiar with the situation told the publication that the US is in the final step in the evacuation of the embassy.

Read also

Mangosuthu Buthelezi visits Phoenix as polls near: 'I come as a champion of justice'

The sources said the withdrawal of US embassy personnel from Afghanistan is happening incredibly rapidly, noting that all officials would soon be evacuated.

Jihadist insurgents attack hotel in Mozambique, South Africans possibly at risk

In other world political news, Briefly News previously reported that Islamic militants attacked a hotel in northern Mozambique and a number of people lost their lives.

17 vehicles carrying foreign contractors fled the hotel and the convoy was ambushed en route; only seven of the vehicles escaped, according to The Times. The situation on the ground is very chaotic and at the moment it is impossible to get any accurate numbers but many people are feared dead or captured.

The town of Palma has become a warzone as jihadist insurgents have launched an attack and South African private security company Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) had been keeping the militants at bay with attack helicopters, but they had to withdraw due to low fuel.

Source: Briefly News