Kabul, 17 August 2021

The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan over and wished for peaceful relations with other countries. Addressing first official press conference after taking over Capital City Kabul on Monday, yesterday, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid assured the world community that we're committed that you will not be harmed anyway from our soil." He repeated  that the rights of women will be protected within the framework of Islam.

Taliban spokesperson has previously declared amnesty across Afghanistan and has urged all government employees including the ladies working with previous regime to continue their jobs.

(Daily Dawn, Pakistan)

Key points from Taliban's first press conference

• We seek no revenge and "everyone is forgiven"
• We will honour women's rights but within the norms of Islamic law
• We want private media to remain independent but the media should not work against national interests
• Afghanistan will not allow itself to harbour anyone targeting other nations
• Afghanistan will be a narcotics-free country

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head  of Taliban’s political office in Doha arrived in Kandahar, his home town after 20 years since US and allied forces invaded Afghanistan. H was accompanied with a delegation, Suhail Shaheen, spokesperson said told.

Baradar as reported has been Mullah Omar’s most trusted commanders, was captured by Pakistani security forces in 2010 from Karachi and released in 2018.

The official said military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians from Afghanistan have started taking off,  Kabul airport controlled by US troops have cleared tarmac and runway from the crowd gathered yesterday, Monday and around 8 persons reported killed.

AlJazeera reported that the US has airlifted about 1,400 people out of the Afghanistan, a combination of US citizens, Afghans who qualify under the US special immigrant visa (SIV) program and people from other countries.

Taylor said there will be ‘approximately 4000 troops on the ground’ by the end of Tuesday with more to come in.

He said the airport is secure, and that the US mission hopes to be able to evacuate between 5000-9000 people a day from now until the White House mandated end of the mission August 31.

China announced it was ready for friendly relations with the Taliban. Embassies of China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey have decided to keep operating in Afghanistan.

However, Pakistan's Information minister announced today that “Pakistan will not take an isolated decision of accepting the Taliban government, we are in contact with other countries and will make a decision in line with the world powers,” he said.

He said that Pakistan was “pleased” that the transfer of power in Kabul had occurred without bloodshed on Sunday.

United States said it is possible to maintain a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan even after withdrawal  of it's forces by 31st August.

The EU will only cooperate with the Afghan government following the Taliban’s return to power if it respects fundamental rights of women and prevents the use of Afghanistan’s territory by terrorists, Josep Borrell announced after an emergency meeting of European Union foreign ministers.