Taliban fire in air to scatter hundreds of protesters in Kabul By Reuters

(Reuters) – Taliban gunmen fired within the air on Tuesday to scatter protesters within the Afghan capital Kabul, witnesses stated, as video confirmed scores scurrying to flee volleys of gunfire.

Tons of of women and men shouting slogans similar to “Lengthy dwell the resistance” and “Dying to Pakistan” marched within the streets to protest towards the Taliban takeover. Neighbouring Pakistan has deep ties with the Taliban and has been accused of aiding the Islamist group’s return to energy – prices it denies.

“The Islamic authorities is capturing at our poor folks,” one panic-stricken lady on the road says over sounds of gunfire in a video clip proven on Iranian tv information. There have been no fast experiences of accidents, nonetheless.

The Taliban’s fast advance throughout Afghanistan as U.S. forces pulled out final month triggered a scramble to go away by folks fearing reprisals.

U.S.-led international forces evacuated about 124,000 foreigners and at-risk Afghans, however tens of hundreds have been left behind.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated the USA was involved with about 100 Individuals who have been nonetheless in Afghanistan.

About 1,000 folks, together with Individuals, have been caught within the northern metropolis of Mazar-i-Sharif for days awaiting clearance for constitution flights to go away, an organiser advised Reuters, blaming the delay on the U.S. State Division.

Blinken, holding talks in Qatar, a key interlocutor with the Taliban, stated the issue was one in all paperwork.

“My understanding is that the Taliban haven’t denied exit to anybody holding a sound doc, however they’ve stated these with out legitimate paperwork, at this level, cannot go away,” he advised reporters.

“As a result of all of those individuals are grouped collectively, that is meant that flights haven’t been allowed to go … We aren’t conscious of anybody being held on an plane, or any hostage-like state of affairs.”

AIRPORT RESTART

On the similar information convention, Qatari International Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated no deal had but been reached with the Taliban on how Qatar and its associate Turkey might get Kabul airport operating once more.

“We hope within the subsequent few days we are able to get to a degree the place the airport is up and operating for passengers and for humanitarian support as effectively,” he stated.

Turkey says it needs to supply safety contained in the airport to guard any Turkish workers and safeguard operations, however that the Taliban have insisted no international forces could be current.

On Monday, the Islamist militants claimed victory within the Panjshir valley, the final province holding out towards it, and promised to call a authorities quickly.

Photos on social media confirmed Taliban members standing in entrance of the Panjshir governor’s compound after days of combating with the Nationwide Resistance Entrance of Afghanistan (NRFA), commanded by Panjshiri chief Ahmad Massoud.

Massoud denied that his power, consisting of remnants of the Afghan military in addition to native militia fighters, was crushed.

“We’re in Panjshir and our resistance will proceed,” he tweeted. He stated he was secure however didn’t say the place.

The Taliban have repeatedly sought to reassure Afghans and international international locations that they won’t return to the brutality of their final reign twenty years in the past, marked by violent public punishments and the barring of ladies and ladies from public life.

However greater than three weeks after seizing Kabul, they’ve but to set out their plans.

Requested whether or not Washington would recognise the Taliban, U.S. President Joe Biden advised reporters on the White Home on Monday: “That’s a good distance off.”

STUDENTS SEGREGATED

Lecturers and college students at universities in Afghanistan’s largest cities – Kabul, Kandahar and Herat – advised Reuters that feminine college students have been being segregated in school with curtains, taught individually or restricted to some campus areas.

“Placing up curtains isn’t acceptable,” Anjila, a 21-year-old feminine scholar at Kabul College, stated by phone, including that ladies had sat other than males in lecture rooms earlier than the Taliban took over, however with out boundaries.

“I actually felt horrible once I entered the category … We’re progressively going again to twenty years in the past.”

The battle in Afghanistan, coupled with drought and coronavirus, has left 18 million folks – nearly half the inhabitants – in want of humanitarian support, the Worldwide Federation of Crimson Cross and Crimson Crescent Societies (IFRC) stated.

It stated tens of hundreds of households had headed for aid camps in city areas, however discovered they’d neither meals nor earnings.

“Primary providers in Afghanistan are collapsing and meals and different lifesaving support is about to expire,” Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), advised a information convention in Geneva, urging extra support forward of a global donor convention on Sept. 13.

The World Well being Organisation is liaising with Qatar on deliveries of urgently wanted medical provides, WHO regional emergency director Rick Brennan stated.

Drought and warfare have compelled about 5.5 million Afghans to flee their properties, together with greater than 550,000 newly displaced in 2021, the Worldwide Group for Migration says.

Western powers say they’re ready to ship humanitarian support, however that broader financial engagement is determined by the form and actions of the Taliban authorities.