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

The territory of Afghanistan must not be used to carry out terror attacks against other countries, the five-nation influential grouping Brics said on Thursday and strongly called for combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists. The grouping held extensive deliberations on pressing issues including the situation in Afghanistan at a virtual summit chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is interested in peace and stability in Afghanistan and in stopping the exodus of Afghans from the country, which has been triggered by the Taliban's swift power grab last month. Unlike many other countries, Russia hasn't announced a pledge to take in Afghan refugees in the wake of the Taliban's takeover of power. Putin has previous said that Moscow doesn't “want militants appearing (in Russia) again under the guise of refugees”.

The foreign ministry under the erstwhile government of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has described the interim cabinet formed by the Taliban as "illegitimate" and "unjustifiable", saying the decision goes against the will of the people of the country. It said the announcement of the "so-called Taliban cabinet" will result in undermining Afghanistan's political, ethnic and social diversity and undermine the prospect of a comprehensive and lasting peace in the country. All diplomatic missions of Afghanistan will continue their normal functions and duties based on the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a statement issued in the name of the foreign ministry of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan said.

Some 200 foreigners, including Americans, flew out of Afghanistan on an international commercial flight from Kabul airport on Thursday, the first such large-scale departure since US and foreign forces concluded their frantic withdrawal at the end of last month. A senior US official said that two very senior Taliban officials had helped facilitate the departure. Americans, green card holders and other nationalities including Germans, Hungarians and Canadians were on the flight, the official said.

"The announcement of the government showed that the Taliban is more monopolist and extremist in politics and power than the previous imposed leaders," said Salahuddin Rabbani, Jamiat-e-Islami Party. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, which operates in the Panjshir province, described the new government as illegal. The resistance said that they will declare a parallel government after consultation with politicians.

Flights into Kabul will fly through Pakistan's airspace for the time being because the majority of Afghanistan is still not covered by flight radar, an official said.

The interim government of the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan (IEA) is likey to take oath of office on September 11, a day which also marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the US in 2001. As per reports, the newly-formed Taliban government has rolled out invitations to various countries to be part of the oath-taking ceremony, including China, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Qatar, India and interestingly, the US.

Qatar's foreign minister met his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on Thursday to discuss developments in Afghanistan. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held "talks on regional and international issues" with Iran's Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, reported Iran's ISNA news agency.

About 200 non-Afghans including American citizens are to fly out of Kabul in the first airlift since the US withdrawal and Taliban takeover, a source in Doha said Thursday. "Not all 200 are US citizens. There are American citizens amongst the group departing Kabul to Doha," said the source, who was briefed on the operation.

The feared ministry was previously responsible for arresting and punishing people for failing to implement the movement's restrictive interpretation of sharia.

Women have been barred from playing cricket or any other sport, in which their bodies could be seen. "It wasn't necessary for women to play cricket because they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this", said Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of Taliban's cultural commission.

Afghan women, who were protesting against the all-male Afghanistan's new interim government on Wednesday in Kabul, were driven away by the Taliban. The Taliban used whips and sticks against the women protesters in the latest crackdown on dissent in Afghanistan, reported CNN. Some held placards declaring "No government can deny the presence of women" and "I will sing freedom over and over."

The US is not in a rush to recognise the new Taliban-led interim government in Afghanistan but was engaged with the people who are now overseeing and controlling the country to get the American citizens out of the strife-torn nation, according to a top White House official. "No one in this administration, not the President nor anyone on the national security team, would suggest that the Taliban are respected and valued members of the global community. They have not earned that in any way, and we have never assessed that. This is a caretaker cabinet that does include four former imprisoned Taliban fighters," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

Protest organisers cancelled rallies in Kabul on Thursday after the Taliban effectively banned demonstrations, warning violators "will face severe legal action". Late Wednesday, the Taliban moved to snuff out any further civil unrest, saying protests would need prior authorisation from the justice ministry, adding "for the time being" no demonstrations were allowed. There was a noticeably stronger Taliban presence on the streets of Kabul on Thursday morning as armed fighters -- including special forces in military fatigues -- stood guard on street corners and manned checkpoints.

Twenty years since the Taliban's hardline regime was ousted from Kabul, the Islamists are back in power and putting a new political agenda into practice. While promising a more inclusive government, top posts have been handed to veteran leaders who played key roles in their notoriously brutal 1996-2001 rule. Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban's secretive supreme leader, has said the government would "work hard towards upholding Islamic rules and sharia law".

A media report citing Taliban officials and technical teams said on Thursday that the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul will be ready for international flight services in the next three days. According to the Khaama News report, the technical teams from Qatar and Turkey are working alongside Afghan engineers at the airport. "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan asked Qatar and Turkey to send their experts and help them in repairing the airport which was made ready for domestic flights in three days but international flights are yet to take off and land from the airport.