There would be "consequences" if the US and its allies extend their presence, Taliban said yesterday
The Taliban have warned there would be "consequences" if the US and its allies extend their presence in Afghanistan beyond the August 31 deadline, as chaos continued to overwhelm Kabul airport.
The Taliban takeover of the country last weekend shocked Western nations, coming just two weeks before the deadline for all troops to fully withdraw from the country.
Taliban's statement came a day after US President Joe Biden said he still hopes to complete the "heartbreaking" evacuation from Afghanistan by the end of the month. Meanwhile, Britain said Monday it would urge the US to extend the August 31 deadline for evacuations from Afghanistan.
However, the Taliban, who have so far sought to strike a more moderate tone, showed no willingness to compromise on the US pullout.
Here are the LIVE Updates on Afghanistan-Taliban crisis:
G7 Leaders Plan To Pledge Unity On Taliban Recognition, Sanctions: Report
Leaders of the G7 advanced economies are expected to pledge unity on whether or not to officially recognize or sanction the Taliban when they meet virtually to discuss Afghanistan on Tuesday, according to two diplomatic sources. U.S. allies are still smarting from Washington's delays in outreach after Kabul fell on Aug. 15, and foreign diplomats in Washington said cooperation will be a key theme of the call.
Taliban Near Resistance Stronghold Panjshir After Retaking 3 Nearby Areas
The Taliban were in position near the Panjshir valley and had retaken three districts in northern Afghanistan that fell to local militia groups last week, a spokesman said on Monday, though there were no confirmed reports of further fighting. The districts of Bano, Deh Saleh, Pul e-Hesar in the northern province of Baghlan were taken by local militia groups last week in one of the first signs of armed resistance to the Taliban since their seizure of the capital Kabul on August 15.
In Rare Crisis Measure, US Mobilizes Commercial Airlines For Afghan Evacuation
The dramatic evacuation of people fleeing Afghanistan will involve a US military-civilian alliance that dates back to 1951 but which has been activated only twice before: in 1990-1991 during the Gulf War and in 2003 during the invasion of Iraq. The Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) is a "cooperative, voluntary program" between the government and private airlines that allows the US military to use commercial aircraft in emergency situations when it needs additional capacity.
Joe Biden Expected To Decide On Afghan Evacuation Deadline In 24 Hours
With thousands of desperate Afghans and foreigners massed at Kabul's airport in the hope of fleeing Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers, US President Joe Biden is expected to decide as soon as Tuesday on whether to extend an August 31 deadline to airlift Americans and their allies to safety. Biden warned on Sunday that the evacuation was going to be "hard and painful" and much could still go wrong. US troops might stay beyond an August 31 deadline to oversee the evacuation, he said.
Taliban warn of 'consequences' as US ramps up evacuation
The Taliban warned Monday there would be "consequences" if the United States and its allies try to remain in Afghanistan beyond next week, as Washington ramped up its efforts to evacuate tens of thousands of people desperate to flee. Thousands of troops have poured back into the country to oversee the chaotic airlift of foreigners and Afghans from Kabul airport, and pressure is mounting on US President Joe Biden to extend an August 31 deadline for full withdrawal. Biden and his Group of Seven counterparts -- several of whom are pushing him to leave soldiers at the airport to keep it open -- will meet Tuesday, with coordination on Afghanistan and how to handle the hardline Islamist Taliban atop the agenda.
