The Pentagon reported this Sunday that it will send a total of 1,000 additional soldiers to Kabul (for about 6,000 in total) in order to help control the situation, as security has continued to deteriorate in recent hours, as confirmed by our sister network
NBC News.
Until now
there are no reports of any contact between the US military and the Taliban.
A Taliban official said the group would announce a new government from the presidential palace, but apparently those plans have been put on hold for now.
The Al Jazeera network broadcast footage of
a group of fighters inside the presidential palace in the Afghan capital.
They are expected to announce the takeover shortly and rename the country the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, after extending their control to most of the country in a matter of days.
That was the name of the country when the Taliban ruled until they were expelled by forces led by the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The militiaman spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to inform the media. communication.
The Taliban take control of the presidential palace in Kabul this Sunday.
AP / AP
British lawmakers were summoned to Parliament on their summer vacation to analyze the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, at a time when UK soldiers arrive in Kabul to help evacuate their compatriots who are still there.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also called a cabinet emergency committee meeting while the Taliban entered Kabul.
[Biden announces that the US will leave Afghanistan on August 31 despite the risk of civil war and the resurgence of the Taliban]
Kabul International Airport has been closed to commercial flights as military evacuations continue, US military officials reported.
The suspension of commercial flights cuts off one of the country's last escape routes for Afghans fearful of the Taliban.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the matter.
"A minimal diplomatic presence"
Earlier, US forces are still working to evacuate US embassy personnel from the city, and
NBC News
witnessed helicopters entering and leaving the compound regularly.
The war in Afghanistan "is an absolute failure", says a veteran before the new advance of the Taliban
Aug. 12, 202101: 42
"We are working to make sure our staff is safe and secure.
We are moving the men and women from our embassy to a location at the airport,"
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
told
ABC News
.
The US Foreign Minister did not want to fully confirm that the embassy complex in Kabul will be closed and abandoned, but reiterated that the "minimal diplomatic presence" that the US has decided to maintain in Kabul will operate from the airport while it evacuates from the country to the rest of the staff.
With information from AP, NBC News, ABC News and EFE