Taliban leaders, who are attempting to present a more moderate face since taking control of Kabul on August 15, continue discussions regarding the formation of a government, which has included talks with some former rivals such as former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, as the outlines of the new authority start to take shape. According to the Bajwa news agency, the movement has appointed a new Minister of Finance, a Director of Intelligence, and an Acting Minister of Interior. The agency reported that Gul Agha will be in charge of the Finance Ministry, while Sadr Ibrahim will serve as Acting Minister of Interior. Najibullah has been appointed as the Director of Intelligence, while Mullah Sherin will be the governor of Kabul and Hamdullah Naeemi will be the head of the capital’s municipality.
In this context, Foreign Policy magazine disclosed sources described as well-informed that Taliban leaders will form a ruling council consisting of 12 individuals. The magazine stated that the most prominent leaders in the upcoming council include Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoub, the son of the movement’s founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, and Khalil Haqqani, who is attributed with the military strategy that led to the Taliban's control of the country. It was reported that both Abdul Ghani Baradar and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoub are working to include Ahmad Massoud in the ruling council, the son of the previous opposition leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, known as "the Lion of Panjshir." The magazine indicated that the Taliban will avoid establishing major positions such as president or emir and aims to create a ruling council that enjoys international recognition.
Meanwhile, the Americans and their Western allies are intensifying efforts to evacuate thousands of Afghans and foreigners from Kabul as quickly as possible, after the Taliban reaffirmed that it would not allow these operations to continue beyond the deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden for the withdrawal by the end of this month. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated in a live press conference that they have not agreed to extend the deadline and that they want all evacuation operations to conclude by that date. He said, "They have planes and they have the airport; they need to evacuate their citizens and contractors from here." Mujahid added, "What we are witnessing at Kabul airport is painful, and the Americans should not encourage Afghans to leave the country," calling on the United States to stop evacuating "Afghan experts," as the movement accuses the Americans of extracting "experts" such as engineers from the country. Mujahid said in a press conference in Kabul, "We demand that they stop this process."
The spokesman announced that the movement has closed the road leading to Kabul airport, indicating that "we only allow foreign individuals to pass." He urged people gathering near the airport to return to their homes, stating, "We pledge to ensure their security." He added that there is no list of individuals targeted for revenge, saying, "We have forgotten everything in the past." It seems that thousands of Afghans have become discouraged about their chances of leaving and have returned to their homes in the provinces after learning that the situation there is "relatively calm," according to a NATO diplomat, while warning about the scarcity of intelligence and security reports from remote areas.
Amid increasing pressure on Washington to negotiate more time for the evacuation of thousands stranded, a virtual G7 summit convened yesterday to review the state of evacuation operations from Kabul airport. The group agreed to pressure the Taliban to allow evacuations after August 31. However, a U.S. administration official informed Reuters yesterday that President Joe Biden agrees with the Pentagon's recommendation to adhere to the withdrawal deadline of August 31. The official stated that the Pentagon made its recommendation based on concerns regarding potential security threats to U.S. forces. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, indicated that Biden has asked the Pentagon to prepare emergency plans for a longer stay if necessary. The official also noted that the U.S. communicated to the Taliban that the U.S. withdrawal by August 31 is contingent upon cooperation to facilitate evacuation operations.
Chaos continues to prevail around Kabul airport, and a NATO diplomat told Reuters that various countries have evacuated about 50,000 individuals in the past ten days and are trying to complete the operation before the deadline. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, "Every member of the foreign forces is operating at a war-like pace to meet the deadline." Adam Schiff, the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, told reporters after a briefing on Afghanistan by intelligence officials that he does not believe the evacuation will be completed within the remaining days. He added, "I see it as possible, but the likelihood is very low given the number of Americans that need to be evacuated."
Outside of Kabul, in rural areas and major cities, many Afghans express relief at the end of decades of war. However, some, particularly women and ethnic minorities, are concerned about their fate.
