KABUL, Afghanistan – The Taliban flag waved over the Afghan presidential palace on the same day that the U.S. and the world marked the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
The milestone’s Saturday comes just weeks after the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the return to power of the Taliban, the faction that protected the Muslim militant group founded by Osama bin Laden that carried out the attacks. .
The Taliban flag was raised on Friday and could be seen on Saturday over the presidential palace in Kabul. The militant group also painted its white background flag on the front door of the U.S. embassy building.
The United States will mark 9/11 with commemorations at the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a camp near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
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KABUL, Afghanistan – The Taliban shot dead Amrullah Saleh’s brother, the former vice president of Afghanistan, and his driver in northern Panjshir province, Saleh’s nephew said on Saturday.
Shuresh Saleh said his uncle Rohullah Azizi was driving towards a car on Thursday when Taliban fighters stopped him at a checkpoint. “As we hear at the moment, the Taliban shot him and his driver in control.” He said.
The message left by a Taliban spokesman on Saturday did not return immediately.
Shuresh Saleh said it was unclear where his uncle, an anti-Taliban fighter, was heading when the Taliban captured him. He said the phones did not work in the area.
Amrullah Saleh led the Taliban-resisting forces in Panjshir, which was the last province to be invaded by Afghanistan’s new rulers.
Videos circulating on social media allegedly show that the Taliban are opening fire on anti-Taliban fighters in Panjshir who have been arrested.
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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:
– The United States gives the first public appearance within the base that houses Afghans
– An alarm wakes up on Taliban repression of dissent, journalists
– Head of the Pentagon: Al-Qaeda may try to return in Afghanistan
– Analysis: path of the Taliban hard line worsens Afghanistan’s dilemma
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– Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan
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KABUL, Afghanistan – More than 250 foreign nationals have left Afghanistan in the past three days, says Zalmay Khalilzad, a Washington special envoy and architect of an often-criticized Taliban deal.
The agreement signed last year provided for the safe withdrawal of US and NATO troops, but they say their critics were heavily weighted in favor of the Islamic movement.
In a series of tweets, Khalilzad praised both the Middle Eastern state of Qatar, whose national airline operated the flights, and the “cooperation of the Taliban in this important effort,” for the recent departure of citizens. foreigners from Afghanistan.
“We will continue to engage the government of Qatar, the Taliban and others to ensure the safe passage of our citizens, other foreign and Afghan citizens who want to leave,” tweeted Khalilzad.
However, hundreds of Afghans, including U.S. citizens and green card holders, remain trapped in northern Afghanistan, in Mazar-e-Sharif, waiting to be evacuated, but detained by Taliban rulers demanding travel documents. .