Kabul, 15 August 2021 (TDI): On Sunday, the Taliban prepared their men on the outskirts of Kabul. Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman in Qatar, said Taliban fighters are staying on the outskirts of the Afghan capital. He went on to say that the Taliban are discussing and negotiating a peaceful transfer of power in Kabul without jeopardizing the lives, property, or honor of Kabul residents. Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal, Interior Minister of Afghanistan, also announced the peaceful transfer of power to a transitional government after the Taliban directed its fighters to stay out of Kabul. There was no immediate word on the situation from Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan. A palace official reported that Ghani is in an emergency meeting with Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, and top NATO officials.
Many people were taken aback by the pace with which the Taliban launched their offensive. This also raised questions about why Afghan security forces fell after years of training and billions of dollars spent by the United States.
