Afghanistan updates: Taliban captures Muta Khan and Jani Khel districts

Meanwhile, in line with its strategy of offering assurances to Afghan leaders in exchange for their surrender/defection, the Taliban released a recorded conversation between Head of the Taliban Invitation and Guidance Commission Amir Khan Mottaqi and former mujahideen leader Ismail Khan (captured by the Taliban after the fall of Herat city) in which Mottaqi is heard asking Khan to convince other Jamiat-Islami leaders to surrender.

In the besieged city of Mazar-e-Sharif (Balkh), the Taliban continues to be kept at bay, with Ustad Atta Mohammad Noor and Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum vowing to carry on their resistance.

Separately, despite the rapid collapse of the ANDSF over the past week, First Vice-President Amrullah Saleh stated that there was “no way” he would surrender to the Taliban.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal visited Chahar Asyab District of Kabul Province to assess the security situation.

Caution from the UN  

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres NATO cautioned that the situation in Afghanistan was spinning out of control; expressed concern over the devastating impact on civilians, especially on account of fighting in urban areas; and underscored that over 2,41,000 civilians had been displaced by the fighting.

Stressing that a military takeover would only lead to a prolonged civil war or international isolation, Guterres called on the Taliban to immediately seek a negotiated settlement.

Separately, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern over the situation in Afghanistan, underscoring that the international community would not recognize a Taliban regime imposed by force.

Denmark and Norway to shut embassies in Kabul  

Denmark and Norway have announced that they would shut their respective Embassies in Kabul and evacuate personnel.

The German and Spanish embassies have also commenced downsizing of personnel.

Separately, a UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric stated that while the UN was closely monitoring the security situation and moving its staff in Afghanistan to Kabul, it was not evacuating any personnel as of now.

International consternation

The severe battlefield setbacks suffered by the ANDSF have prompted international consternation. 

British Defence Minister Ben Wallace has stated that Afghanistan was spiralling into a failed state and a civil war in which militant groups such as Al Qaeda would thrive and likely pose a threat again to the West.

Meanwhile, US Congressman Michael Waltz (R-Florida), in an article, called on President Biden to ‘drastically change’ Washington’s strategic direction by crushing the Taliban offensive using US air power; send a clear signal to Pakistan by suspending aid and considering sanctions on key military and intelligence officials; discontinue efforts to push negotiations with the Taliban until the military situation is stabilized; and discuss US SRAR Zalmay Khalilzad.

Further, criticizing White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki’s statement calling on the Taliban to “consider” its role in the international community, Waltz observed that the Taliban only understood strength and leverage, and diplomatic overtures to the outfit would only embolden it and raise its stature amongst Islamic extremist groups.

Separately, US Senator Lidsey Graham (R-South Carolina), on Twitter, underscored that a Taliban takeover in Afghanistan was not in Washington’s interest since the outfit’s true sympathies lay with Al Qaeda and Da’esh.

Graham added that it was only a matter of time before the US was threatened from Afghanistan again, arguing that if President Biden truly did not regret his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, then he was ‘disconnected from reality’ on the national security consequences of his decision.

Pakistan's double standard  

Even as calls for sanctions against Pakistan gather steam, Islamabad’s doublespeak continues unabated.

Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has stated that in “view” of the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, Islamabad would relax visa requirements for journalists working with foreign media outlets in Afghanistan.