Afghanistan crisis live updates: 'Afghan evacuee flights halted from two key bases'

32 more US citizens, permanent residents leave Afghanistan: White House

The US has halted all US-bound flights of Afghan evacuees from two main bases overseas for unspecified "health safety concerns", a move officials warn will have a severe impact on the evacuation operation, according to a US government document seen Friday by The Associated Press

The US suspects that more than four dozen Afghan evacuees could pose a national security threat, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records: ANI

Rajnath Singh, Australian defence minister emphasize UN resolution on Afghanistan on combating terrorism: ANI

Sources said that defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton, during a meeting in New Delhi on Friday, noted that the international community must do everything to implement UN resolution 2593 on Afghanistan. The UNSC adopted Resolution 2593 last month after Taliban takeover of Kabul. It demanded that Afghan territory "not be used to threaten or attack any country and reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan".

Pakistan hopes Taliban-led Afghan govt would bring ‘peace'; work towards humanitarian needs: PTI

Pakistan on Friday hoped that the new interim government in Afghanistan led by the Taliban would bring “peace, security and stability” to the war-torn country and work towards taking care of humanitarian and development needs of the Afghan people. Pakistan was closely following the evolving situation in Afghanistan, including the formation of new political set-up to address the requirement of a governance structure to meet the urgent needs of Afghanistan, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said at the weekly press briefing in Islamabad.

Former Afghan central bank chief warns of economic collapse: AFP

With the Taliban in control and foreign aid blocked, Afghanistan's economy is likely to contract sharply as it faces a shortage of cash, the nation's former central bank chief said Friday. "I don't want to say economic collapse, but I think it's going to be (an) extremely challenging or difficult economic situation," Ajmal Ahmady said, predicting GDP would shrink by 10 to 20 percent.

Unesco urges Afghanistan to preserve educational gains: AP

As the Taliban government takes power in Afghanistan, UNESCO warned on Friday about risks to access to education, especially for girls and women. A new report by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization found that student enrollment multiplied tenfold in the 20 years since the US-led military operation forced the Taliban from power while Afghanistan's female literacy rate doubled.

US dodges a 9/11 poke in the eye by Taliban

The United States on Friday dodged the ignominy of having Taliban install its government on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 after Russia reportedly rained on the extremists' party by declining to attend the inauguration in Kabul. Reports that the Taliban was all set to embark on a provocative gesture seen as poking America in the eye were contested by a spokesman for the terrorist outfit who called it rumors, even as the US prepared to mourn the nearly 3,000 people who were killed on 9/11 by terrorists who found safe haven in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s. Read more

A Qatar Airways plane departed Kabul on Friday with 156 passengers, heading to Doha, Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV channel said: Reuters

Brother of Afghan opposition figure executed by Taliban, family says: Reuters

The Taliban have executed the brother of Amrullah Saleh, the former Afghan vice president who became one of the leaders of anti-Taliban opposition forces in the Panjshir valley, his nephew said on Friday. The news that Saleh's brother Rohullah Azizi was killed came days after Taliban forces took control of the provincial centre of Panjshir, the last province holding out against them. Read more

Pakistan facing 'crisis of its own making' in Afghanistan: Think tank

As the Taliban and other outfits begin to consolidate their position in Afghanistan, post US exit from there, experts say that Pakistan is starting to face the effects of the "crisis of its own making." According to a Canada-based think tank, Pakistan is going through an uncertain phase due to a crisis in the neighbouring country. Its purpose is not to serve as the saviour but as the perpetrator of the gory crisis in Afghanistan, said International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS).

Afghan cricket board begs to keep game 'out of politics': AFP

The Afghanistan Cricket Board on Friday urged Australia not to punish its men's team over the new Taliban regime's reported ban on women playing sport. Australia's cricket chiefs threatened to cancel a historic maiden Test between the two countries - set to take place in November - after a senior Taliban official said it was "not necessary" for women to play.

Another Afghan evacuation flight to leave as UN warns of Taliban 'reprisals': AFP

A second charter flight was due to leave Afghanistan on Friday carrying foreigners and Afghans to Qatar in a sign the country's main airport was close to resuming commercial operations, as the United Nations warned of "credible allegations" of reprisal killings by the Taliban. Just over 100 passengers, including some Americans, left Kabul airport on Thursday on the first flight carrying foreigners out of the Afghan capital since a US-led evacuation ended on August 30.

No Brics recognition for Taliban government until international law assurances: South Africa foreign minister

The Brics countries have agreed not to recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan until they receive assurances that it will comply with the prescripts of international law, South African foreign minister Naledi Pandor said on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a virtual summit of the five-nation grouping. The 13th Brics summit was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday discussed Afghanistan over a phone call with China's President Xi Jinping, the German government said in a statement: Reuters

The Taliban have informed China that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement(ETIM) militants from the volatile Xinjiang province who reportedly converged in Afghanistan have left the war-torn country after it told them to leave: PTI

Important that Taliban adheres to commitment to not allow use of Afghan soil for terrorism: India

Terming the situation in Afghanistan as “very fragile”, India has said it is important that the Taliban adheres to its commitment to not allow the use of the Afghan soil for terrorism, including from terror groups designated under Security Council resolution 1267 that lists Pakistan-based outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday urged the international community to adopt a "new positive approach" towards Afghanistan, warning that isolating the country will have "serious consequences" for the Afghan people, the region and the world at large: PTI

UK spy chief warns Taliban takeover could fuel terror plots

The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has 'hearted and emboldened' extremists and could lead to the return of major 'al-Qaida-style' attack plots against the West, the head of Britain's domestic intelligence agency said on Friday. MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the UK could face 'more risk' because of the withdrawal of NATO troops and the overthrow of the internationally backed Afghan government. Read more

UN says Taliban must stop targeting protesters, journalists

The UN on Friday condemned the Taliban's increasingly violent response to peaceful protests, including using live ammunition that killed several people. It said journalists were also being targeted who were trying to "simply to their job" after reporters were arrested and beaten covering demonstrations. "We call on the Taliban to immediately cease the use of force towards, and the arbitrary detention of, those exercising their right to peaceful assembly and the journalists covering the protests," said Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the United Nations human rights office.