Evacuations from Afghanistan gather momentum as Taliban promise peace
More than 2,200 diplomats and other civilians have been evacuated from Afghanistan on military flights, a Western security official told Reuters on Wednesday, as efforts gathered pace to get people out after the Taliban seized the capital. The Taliban have said they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies and would respect the […]
‘Stand behind my decision,’ says Biden on US withdrawal; blames Afghan army and leaders for ‘giving up’
US President Joe Biden said on Monday he stood “squarely behind” his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan despite searing images of chaos in Kabul that exposed the limits of US power and plunged him into the worst crisis of his presidency. Breaking his silence on the US pullout after scenes of bedlam dominated […]
All people in Kabul can resume normal life, says Taliban spokesman
KARACHI: The Afghan Taliban on Sunday assured the people, foreign missions, staff as well as those who worked in the Kabul administration and foreign forces that their life and property are safe and they could resume their normal activities, as the Taliban await a peaceful transfer of power to form an Afghan inclusive Islamic government. […]
Death toll of powerful earthquake in Haiti soars to 1,297
The death toll from a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Haiti climbed to 1,297 on Sunday, a day after the powerful temblor turned thousands of structures into rubble and set off frantic rescue efforts ahead of a potential deluge from an approaching storm. Saturday’s earthquake also left at least 5,700 people injured in the Caribbean nation, with thousands more […]
Taliban fighters enter Kabul; helicopters land at US Embassy
Taliban fighters entered the outskirts of Kabul on Sunday as panicked workers fled government offices and helicopters began landing at the U.S. Embassy in the Afghan capital, further tightening the militants’ grip on the country. Three Afghan officials said that the fighters were in the districts of Kalakan, Qarabagh, and Paghman in the capital. The […]
At least 304 dead, 1,800 hurt as powerful quake slams Haiti
A powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 304 people, injuring a minimum of 1,800 others and destroying hundreds of homes. People in the Caribbean island nation rushed into the streets to seek safety and to help rescue those trapped in the rubble of collapsed homes, hotels and other structures. Saturday’s […]
Taliban now 50km away from Kabul as US ramps up Afghan evacuations
The Afghan Taliban tightened their territorial stranglehold around Kabul on Saturday, as refugees from the insurgents’ relentless offensive flooded the capital and US Marines returned to oversee emergency evacuations from Afghanistan. With the country’s second- and third-largest cities having fallen into Taliban hands, Kabul has effectively become the besieged, last stand for government forces who have offered […]
Taliban detain ‘Lion of Herat’, capture three more provincial capitals in relentless push
Taliban insurgents detained veteran militia commander Mohammad Ismail Khan on Friday after they seized the western city of Herat, a provincial council member said. The insurgents also captured three more provincial capitals as they press a lightning offensive that is gradually encircling the capital, Kabul. Khan, who has been leading fighters against the Taliban in recent weeks, […]
US advises its citizens to leave immediately
WASHINGTON: The United States urged its citizens on Thursday to leave Afghanistan immediately as a US intelligence report predicted that the Afghan capital Kabul could fall to the Taliban in 90 days. The security alert for Americans still in Afghanistan said that the US Embassy in Kabul could soon announce evacuation flights for them but […]
US frustration mounts over Afghan failure to halt Taliban
The failure of Afghan security forces to blunt the advance of the Taliban has left US officials deeply frustrated after spending billions to train and equip the country’s military for two decades. President Joe Biden and other officials have repeatedly called for Afghan leaders to unite and fashion a clear strategy amid mounting worries that […]
