Live blog
Status: 08/15/2021 11:47 a.m.
The Afghan interior minister has announced a peaceful handover of power to the radical Islamic Taliban. Shortly before, the Taliban had marched into Kabul. The US is evacuating its embassy. Current developments in the live blog.
- Taliban fighters invaded the outskirts of Kabul
- USA evacuate embassy by helicopter
- Interior minister announces handover to Taliban
11:47 am
Taliban confirm talks
Taliban spokesman Sabiullah Mujahid has confirmed to the BBC that there are talks with the presidential palace about a peaceful takeover. The head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, is organizing this.
11:41 am
Interior Minister announces “peaceful transfer of power”
The Afghan interior minister, Abdul Sattar Mirsakwal, has announced a “peaceful transfer of power” to the Taliban. “There will be no attack on the city,” said the interior minister in a recorded address.
“People don’t need to worry, the city is safe,” he said. Anyone who causes disorder in the city is treated in accordance with the law.
According to Al Arabiya, President Ashraf Ghani will resign. An interim government led by the Taliban is to be formed. However, this has not yet been officially confirmed.
11:31 a.m.
Direct talks in the presidential palace
According to agency reports, Taliban representatives and the Afghan government are already talking about a negotiated solution in the presidential palace.
11:25 am
Russian embassy continues to work
Despite the advance of the Taliban, Russia does not want to vacate its embassy for the time being. An evacuation is not planned, said the Afghanistan representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Samir Kabulov, the Interfax news agency. “The ambassador and our employees carry out their tasks in peace and quiet.”
11:19 am
Ex-NATO general doubts the loyalty of the army
According to former NATO General Hans-Lothar Domröse, Kabul could quickly fall to the Taliban. This is mainly due to the question of how long the Afghan government can hold out, Domröse said in an interview with tagesschau24.
“I don’t have a lot of trust anymore because you don’t know what it is based on. Which security forces are now still loyal to the president? “Said Domröse. The way the provincial capitals have fallen, loyalty is very limited.
“I foresee that we will not be able to save everyone.”, Hans-Lothar Domröse, former NATO general, on the Taliban’s attack on Kabul
Tagesschau24 10:00 a.m., August 15, 2021
11:16 am
People are apparently fleeing Kabul
The head of the BBC’s South Asia office, Nicola Careem, is broadcasting a video via Twitter that is supposed to show the situation in Kabul. Apparently a lot of people try to leave the city – their belongings are stowed in and on the car as best they can.
11:11 a.m.
Criticism from Italy of withdrawal from Afghanistan
Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has criticized the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan as a “historical error”. “I respect, but I do not share Biden’s position,” said Renzi in an interview with the daily newspaper “La Repubblica”.
Washington had already bet on an agreement with the Taliban under Donald Trump, but that is out of the question with them. “I cry when I think of the women of Kabul, from whom all rights are being stolen. How can the free world accept such a degree of defeat,” said Renzi. He was Italian Prime Minister from February 2014 to December 2016.
11:06 am
Rescue flights for Germans on Monday
According to information from the dpa news agency, the Bundeswehr is to begin evacuating German citizens and Afghan local staff from Kabul tomorrow. Several A400M transport machines are supposed to fly to the Afghan capital and bring people to safety. Paratroopers should secure the operation. “Bild” and “Spiegel” had also reported that the evacuation operation was imminent.
Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said on Saturday that she could not provide any information on operational details of the mission. In view of the rapid advance of the Taliban, however, she had also stated: “It is now absolute priority that we bring those to be protected safely to Germany.”
11:00 o’clock
Taliban: Negotiations for peaceful invasion
The Taliban have reportedly instructed their fighters not to penetrate into the capital, Kabul. Rather, they should take a stand at the gates of the city, according to a statement by the Islamists.
Since Kabul is a large and densely populated city, the Taliban did not intend to enter the city by force or war. Rather, they want to negotiate a peaceful invasion of Kabul with the other side. Taliban claim that there are already talks with the Afghan government for a “peaceful surrender”.
10:57 am
US embassy is evacuated
The US began evacuating its embassy a few hours before the first reports of the Taliban’s advance. This was initially started with a small group, but the majority of the staff is also ready to withdraw, said two US representatives of the Reuters news agency.
Helicopters take off and land on the embassy premises. The US had previously increased its military presence at the airport.
10:53 a.m.
Great uncertainty in Kabul
There are reports of great uncertainty among the people in Kabul. Are the Taliban attacking? Are you staying on the outskirts of the city for the time being?
The BBC journalist Yalda Hakim is currently summarizing the situation as follows:
10:50 am
What happens to Germans in Kabul?
The staff of the German embassy are still in Kabul. According to unconfirmed information from “Bild am Sonntag”, an Air Force transport plane was supposed to land there on Monday. The rapid advance of the Taliban could throw the schedule upside down.
10:36 a.m.
Reportedly advanced in three wards
The Taliban claims to have advanced into three outskirts of Kabul: Kalakan, Karabagh and Paghman. So far there have been no fights. “Nobody’s life, property and dignity will be harmed and the lives of the citizens of Kabul will not be in danger,” the Taliban told the AP news agency.