Afghanistan-Taliban Crisis LIVE: Amid reports of Taliban approaching the Panjshir province, Ahmad Massoud, leader of Afghanistan’s last major outpost of anti-Taliban resistance, on Sunday said that the Panjshir valley will not be handed over to the Taliban and resistance fighters will be ready to fight back if the extremist group tries to seize. Speaking to the Dubai-based al-Arabiya television channel yesterday from his stronghold in the Panjshir valley northwest of Kabul, Massoud said, “We confronted the Soviet Union, and we will be able to confront the Taliban.” Meanwhile, Massoud also spoke to news agency Reuters and said that he hoped to hold peace talks with the Islamist movement that seized power in Kabul a week ago but that his forces were ready to fight. During a telephonic conversation with Reuters, he said, “We want to make the Taliban realise that the only way forward is through negotiation. We do not want a war to break out.” In Panjshir, the Anti-Taliban leader has gathered forces made up of remnants of regular army units and special forces as well as local militia fighters. His comments came soon after a statement on the Taliban’s Alemarah Twitter feed said hundreds of fighters were heading towards Panjshir and that Massoud had only four hours to give up Panjshir valley.
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07:05 am: We know that terrorists may seek to exploit the situation and target innocent Afghans or American troops. We’re maintaining constant vigilance to monitor and disrupt threats from any source, including ISIS and the Afghan affiliate known as ISIS-K, said US President Biden during his address from the White House.
07:00 am: Speaking about the ongoing evacuation process from Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden made an address from the White House on Sunday. He said, “There is no way to evacuate this many people without pain and loss and the heartbreaking images you see, it’s just a fact. My heart aches for those people you see. At the end of the day, if we didn’t leave Afghanistan now, when would we?”