More die at Kabul airport as Taliban keep cards close to chest
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 23
Faced with a financial crunch and a falling currency, the Taliban appointed an acting director general of ‘Da Afghanistan Bank’ after the IMF disbursed $ 650 billion in Covid aid to all countries on Monday barring Afghanistan as it didn’t have a government.
Though several Taliban leaders were in Kabul and held talks with members of the former ruling regime, there was no indication about government formation.
Afghan political leaders said no serious discussions have been held with the Taliban about a future political system despite several meetings which were mere consultations rather than serious discussions about a future government.
As a result, evacuations were a chaotic affair and many Afghans died outside the airport on Monday as well — one killed by what appeared to be sniper fire and several after aerial firing by the Taliban to disperse crowds broke a live electricity cable that fell on them.
The Taliban has deployed its elite “Badri 313” unit around the airport for security. Over 37,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul in the last eight days but that still leaves behind several fearful minorities, including over 250 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who have taken shelter at Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul. Their leaders, including two Parliamentarians, have reached India along with their relatives.
Ahead of a G-7 virtual meeting on Tuesday, the Taliban warned against extending the complete pull out of foreign forces by August 31, which is being pushed by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
To shape the US response, US President Joe Biden attended a high-level meeting at the White House on intelligence, security, and diplomatic updates on the evolving situation in Afghanistan.
On two issues, China and Russia have spoken in the same language as the US-UK—asking the Taliban to form an inclusive government and to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a training ground for foreign terrorists. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had earlier said a new government will be announced in the near future.
