THE Taliban have begun storming Kabul from all sides, the Afghan Interior Ministry has said.
The fanatics reached Kabul after seizing Jalalabad, the last major city apart from the capital under their control
Taliban fighters have officially entered Kabul with three Afghan officials claiming militants are now present in the districts of Kalakan, Qarabagh and Paghman.
There were reports of shots fired near the Presidential palace in Kabul with the building said to be in lockdown.
But the Taliban have said in a statement they do not plan to take Kabul “by force” as sporadic gunfire echoed in the Afghan capital
The leadership of the hardline group said its fighters have been told stand at entry points in Kabul.
"No ones life, property and dignity will be harmed and the lives of the citizens of Kabul will not be at risk," the Taliban said.
Read our Afghanistan live blog below for the latest news & updates…
- Joseph Gamp
TALIBAN OFFERING AMNESTY FOR GOVERNMENT FORCES AND ALLOWING THEM TO LEAVE IN SAFETY
The Taliban appeared to offer an amnesty for government forces and said they want a “peaceful transfer of power”.
But questions remain about whether the Taliban leadership is able to control troops on the ground and prevent them taking revenge.
- Joseph Gamp
TALIBAN SAYS RIGHTS OF WOMEN 'WILL BE RESPECTED' AND THEY WILL BE ALLOWED ACCESS TO EDUCATION
Taliban spokesperson says they will respect the rights of women and allow them access to education
Concerns have been raised that the Taliban's takeover will result in women being shut off from work and education.
We know from experience that women previously had few rights under Taliban rule.
But the group has claimed it has changed and it will allow women to work, go to school, leave their homes alone and wear the hijab.
- Joseph Gamp
ALI AHMAD JILALI LIKELY TO BECOME AFGHAN INTERIM LEADER
Ali Ahmad Jilali, a U.S.-based academic and former Afghan interior minister, is likely to be named to head an interim administration in Kabul, three diplomatic sources said on Sunday as Taliban fighters gathered around the city.
Earlier, acting Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said in a televised address that a peaceful transition would take place but no details have as yet been confirmed.
It was not immediately clear whether the Taliban had given their final agreement to Jalali's appointment but he was seen as a potentially acceptable compromise figure to oversee the transition of power, the sources said
- Joseph Gamp
US PULLING ALL STAFF OUT OF ITS EMBASSY IN KABUL
All embassy staff will be pulled out from the capital within the next 72 hours, sources have told CNN.
But a group of top US officials will stay at Kabul airport for now.
The Taliban have said the airport will remain open for foreigners to leave if they wish.
Meanwhile, US and UK troops have been sent in to help evacuate diplomats.
- Joseph Gamp
BORIS JOHNSON SET TO RECALL PARLIAMENT THIS WEEK TO TACKLE AFGHANISTAN CRISIS
BORIS Johnson is set to recall Parliament this week to tackle the crisis in Afghanistan.
MPs will be asked to come back from their summer holidays two weeks early.
It comes as Taliban fighters have begun storming the capital Kabul from all sides.
It will be the first time since 2014 that Parliament has been recalled to discuss a crisis in the Middle East.
- Joseph Gamp
POPE VOICES 'CONCERN' OVER AFGHANISTAN AND CALLS FOR 'DIALOGUE'
Pope Francis expressed his "concern" Sunday over the situation in Afghanistan and called for "dialogue" to resolve the conflict.
"I add my voice to the unanimous concern over the situation in Afghanistan", the pontiff said during the weekly Angelus at the Vatican and called for prayers "to end the noise of weapons and for solutions to be found at the table of dialogue".
- Joseph Gamp
BAGRAM AIRBASE SURRENDERED TO TALIBAN
Troops have surrendered the Bagram airbase,to the militant group.
The airbase is home to a prison housing 5,000 inmates.
The prison housed both Taliban and Islamic State group fighters.
- Joseph Gamp
AFGHAN GOVERNMENT PROMISES ‘PEACEFUL TRANSFER’ OF POWER TO THE TALIBAN
Acting Afghan Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal has said Kabul will not be attacked.
He also insisted the transfer of power to the Taliban will take place peacefully.
- Joseph Gamp
LABOUR LEADER STARMER SAYS PRIOTIY IS TO GET ALL BRITS OUT OF KABUL SAFELY
Sir Starmer said in a statement:“The situation in Afghanistan is deeply shocking and seems to be worsening by the hour. The immediate priority now must be to get all British personnel and support staff safely out of Kabul.
"The Government has been silent while Afghanistan collapses, which let’s be clear will have ramifications for us here in the UK.
"We need Parliament recalled so the Government can update MPs on how it plans to work with allies to avoid a humanitarian crisis and a return to the days of Afghanistan being a base for extremists whose purpose will be to threaten our interests, values and national security.”
- Joseph Gamp
UK PARLIAMENT TO BE RECALLED NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS AFGHANISTAN – REPORTS
The British parliament will be recalled from its summer recess next week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, Sky News reported on Sunday, citing sources, as Taliban insurgents entered Kabul.
- Joseph Gamp
TALIBAN OFFERING AMNESTY FOR GOVERNMENT FORCES AND ALLOWING THEM TO LEAVE IN SAFETY
The Taliban appeared to offer an amnesty for government forces and said they want a "peaceful transfer of power".
But questions remain about whether the Taliban leadership is able to control troops on the ground and prevent them taking revenge.
- Joseph Gamp
AFGHAN PRESIDENT RELINQUISHES POWER AS INTERIM GOVERNMENT IS FORMED – REPORTS
- Joseph Gamp
DEFENCE SECRETARY BEN WALLACE DISMISSES 'ARROGANT' CLAIMS UK CAN RESOLVE AFGHAN CRISIS ALONE
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned it is "arrogant" to think the UK could unilaterally prevent Afghanistan falling back into the grip of the Taliban.
With the militants closing in on the capital, Kabul, it was reported that arrangements were being made to airlift out the British ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow by Monday evening.
The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) had intended Sir Laurie and a small team of officials to remain at the airport with other international diplomats.
However, The Sunday Telegraph reported that their departure had been brought forward amid fears the airport could be overrun as the Taliban continue their lightning advance through the country. The FCDO declined to comment.
Six hundred British troops are being deployed to the city to assist with the evacuation of the remaining nationals, as well as Afghans who worked with UK forces and who face reprisals if they fall into the hands of the Taliban.
- Joseph Gamp
TORY MP CALLS AFGHANISTAN COLLAPSE 'BIGGEST POLICY DISASTER SINCE SUEZ'
The chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has described the collapse of Afghanistan as "the biggest single policy disaster since Suez".
Tory MP Tom Tugendhat said the priority should be to get as many people out of Kabul as possible while there was still time. He told BBC News that Afghans who helped the British now faced reprisals if they fell into the hands of the Taliban.
"This isn't just about interpreters or guards. This is about those people who we trained in special forces to serve alongside us, those who helped us to understand the territory through our agencies and our diplomats," he said.
"This is the people who, on our encouragement, set up schools for girls. These people are all at risk now. The real danger is that we are going to see every female MP murdered, we are going to see ministers strung up on street lamps."
Mr Tugendhat said he did not know what the Government was planning, adding: "I don't know what is in the works because we haven't heard from the Foreign Secretary in about a week despite this being the biggest single policy disaster since Suez."
- Joseph Gamp
TALIBAN PAINT ‘THIEVES’ AND PARADE THEM THROUGH THE STREETS OF HERAT
RAMPAGING Taliban fanatics are tarring men accused of theft and parading them around the streets as UK troops fly out to evacuate up to 4,000 British nationals.
The medieval punishments were photographed in the newly-captured city of Herat amid fears the capital Kabul could fall within days — with the insurgents just 40 miles away.
Read more here.
The pictures show men tarred in black with nooses around their necks being dragged through the streets by armed gunmenCredit: Twitter @bsarwary
- Joseph Gamp
BORIS JOHNSON URGED TO MAKE LAST-DITCH INTERVENTION TO SAVE AFGHANISTAN
Boris Johnson is facing calls for a last-ditch intervention to prevent the complete collapse of Afghanistan as Taliban fighters were reported to have entered the outskirts of Kabul.
The lead elements of the British force sent to evacuate the remaining UK nationals were understood to be in the capital amid fears it could fall within days or even hours.
In a sign of the speed of the collapse, arrangements were reportedly being made to fly the British ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow out of the country.
It had previously been intended that he should remain in a secure location at Kabul airport along with other international diplomats.
But amid a hurried scramble for safety, helicopters were seen landing at the US embassy to ferry away remaining personnel.
- Joseph Gamp
CITY OF JALALABAD SEIZED THIS MORNING WITH NO RESISTANCE
Jalalabad, another major city, was seized this morning without any fighting.
- Joseph Gamp
AFGHAN GOVERNMENT PROMISES 'PEACEFUL TRANSFER' OF POWER TO THE TALIBAN
Acting Afghan Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal has said Kabul will not be attacked.
He also insisted the transfer of power to the Taliban will take place peacefully.
- Joseph Gamp
TALIBAN NEGOTIATORS HEADING TO PRESIDENTIAL PALACE TO PREPARE FOR 'TRANSFER' OF POWER
An Afghan official has told Associated Press that Taliban negotiators are going to the presidential palace now to prepare for a "transfer" of power to them.
- Joseph Gamp
SPEED OF TALIBAN TAKEOVER IN AFGHANISTAN HAS SHOCKED THE WORLD
The lightning speed of the Taliban has shocked the world and just a few days ago United States officials predicted it would 30 days for them to reach Kabul – and 90 to take the city.
Twenty years after they were ejected by the US and its allies in the wake of 9/11 they stand on the brink of being back in power.
Helicopters were seen near the US embassy as staff were evacuated to outside the city and they included Black Hawks, which typically carry armed troops.
- Joseph Gamp
FORMER ARMY HEAD SAYS HUMANITARIAN OPERATION SHOULD BE LAUNCHED IN KABUL
Meanwhile, former Head of the Army Lord Dannatt said: “What about mounting a humanitarian operation in Kabul to look after some of the refugees, to build some camps, bring in some humanitarian supplies?”
“Let’s show the Afghan government we are not completely abandoning them.”
- Joseph Gamp
UK IS HELPING ITS CITIZENS IN AFGHANISTAN TO RETURN HOME
Britain is working to protect its citizens and help other eligible former UK staff to leave Afghanistan, the interior ministry said on Sunday as Taliban insurgents entered Kabul.
"Home Office (interior ministry) officials are right now working to protect British nationals and help former UK staff and other eligible people travel to the UK," it said on Twitter
- Joseph Gamp
RUSSIA SAYS IT HAS NO PLANS TO EVACUATE KABUL EMBASSY
Russia does not plan to evacuate its embassy in Kabul as Taliban fighters reached the outskirts of the Afghan capital in their blistering military takeover of the country, foreign ministry official Zamir Kabulov told Russian agencies Sunday.
"No evacuation is planned," Kabulov said, adding that he was "in direct contact" with Moscow's ambassador in Kabul and that Russian embassy employees continued to work "calmly".
According to the RIA Novosti agency, Kabulov also said that Russia was among a number of countries to receive assurances from the Taliban that their embassies would be safe.
"We received these guarantees a while ago. It was not only about Russia," RIA Novosti quoted Kabulov as saying.
- Joseph Gamp
BORIS JOHNSON YESTERDAY RULED OUT 'A MILITARY OR COMBAT' SOLUTION
PM Boris Johnson ruled out a “military or combat solution” to the situation in Afghanistan, saying he would work with allies to prevent the country becoming a “breeding ground” for terror.
He added the situation was the “inevitable logical consequence” of the decision by President Joe Biden’s administration to remove forces.
- Joseph Gamp
REFUGEE NUMBERS INCREASING IN KABUL
Meanwhile, Afghan Hamidullah Abawi told The Sun on Sunday that refugees were swelling Kabul.
Abawi – who works for the education charity Street Child – said: “It’s chaotic here, there is no hope left. We can expect Kabul to fall very easily within days. People are rushing to take their money out of the banks.”
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