Taliban declares the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace in Kabul

Taliban

Taliban declares the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace in Kabul

The militants seized the old palace and demanded a "peaceful transfer of power" to move to the capital.

President Ashraf Ghani fled the country while thousands of Afghans rushed to the Pakistan border.

RAF aircraft rushed to evacuate 6,000 British diplomats, citizens, and Afghan translators

The British ambassador has been moved to a safe place and is expected to be evacuated from Afghanistan tonight.

Jalalabad fell under Taliban control without a fight early Sunday morning when the governor surrendered.

The United States is trying to cut a deal for the Taliban not to go to Kabul until its 10,000 citizens are evacuated.

The co-founder of the Taliban was declared the new president of Afghanistan after the movement claimed that the 20-year Western occupation was "now over" and said an Islamic state during a victory speech from the presidential palace in Kabul.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who fought in the Soviet-Afghan War during the 1980s and helped former President Muhammad Omar create the Taliban in 1994, has already been appointed to head the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

In a victory speech from Kabul on Sunday, Baradar said: ''I want to congratulate the Afghan Muslim people on this great victory, especially the citizens and residents of Kabul, and I would also like to advise and ask all the Mujahideen (Taliban fighters). . That we have come to an unexpected and unique situation which should not, with God'sGod's help, make us arrogant.

"We have never before had the same amount of responsibility that we do today, because now God is testing us, and we will participate day in and day out in the service of our nation, in providing them with security and hope for their future."

A spokesman for the Taliban'sTaliban's political office told Al Jazeera that the war was over in Afghanistan and that the type of governance and form of the regime would soon become clear - adding that the Islamist group did not believe foreign forces would repeat their "failure." Experience in Afghanistan again''.

"We assure everyone that we will provide safety for citizens and diplomatic missions," spokesman Mohamed Naim told the Qatar-based channel. We are ready to hold a dialogue with all Afghan personalities, and we will guarantee them the necessary protection.

Taliban fighters stormed the Old Palace on Sunday. They demanded a "peaceful transfer of power" as Kabul descended into chaos as US helicopters evacuated diplomats from the embassy in scenes reflecting the 1975 fall of Saigon after the Vietnam War.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, backed by the United States, fled to Tajikistan, effectively ceding power to the Taliban, ending 20 years of Western occupation of Afghanistan. At the same time, thousands of Afghans rushed to the Pakistani border to escape Islamic rule.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Ghani said he fled Afghanistan "to prevent a flood of bloodshed," claiming that "countless patriots will be martyred and the city of Kabul will be destroyed" if he remains. He did not reveal the details of his current location.

Foreigners in Kabul were told to leave or register their presence with Taliban officials. At the same time, RAF planes rushed to evacuate 6,000 British diplomats, citizens, and Afghan interpreters, and the British ambassador was moved to safety. The United States and France ambassadors have already been evacuated as the United States scrambles to rescue more than 10,000 of its citizens.

Italy'sItaly's defense ministry said the first military planes would arrive on Sunday to begin "emergency evacuations." At the same time, Denmark, Norway, and Finland temporarily closed their embassies in Kabul, and Finland offered asylum to 170 local staff and their families.

However, the Kremlin envoy said that there are no plans to evacuate the Russian embassy in Kabul, as China, Russia, Pakistan, and Turkey appear ready to officially recognize the rule of the Sunni extremist group formed after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Shooting erupted at the airport, according to two senior US military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations. Evacuations continued with military flights, but the halt in commercial traffic closed one of the last routes available to Afghans fleeing the country.

As night fell, Taliban fighters spread throughout Kabul, taking over abandoned police stations and vowing to maintain law and order in the country.  Residents reported looting in parts of the city, including the upscale diplomatic district, and messages circulating on social media advised people.