Afghan Updates: Taliban urges women to join government

UNICEF says some Taliban support girls’ education

Quoting the UN children’s agency (UNICEF), an Al Jazeera report said that Taliban representatives in some parts of Afghanistan have expressed support for educating girls after they seized control when U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan.

The report quoted Mustapha Ben Messaoud, UNICEF’s chief of field operations in Afghanistan, saying that some Taliban local representatives had said they were waiting for guidance on the issue from their leaders, while others have said they want schools to run for girls.

“We are cautiously optimistic on moving forward,”  the report further quoted Messaoud saying during a UN briefing in Geneva

Turkey says in talks with all Afghan parties

Turkey Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that it is in talks with all parties in Afghanistan including the Taliban and views the messages of the group since taking control of the country positively

Global power gave Taliban platform, situation for women scary: Afghan Women Network

Kolkata: Afghan Women Network executive director Mary Akrami was quoted saying that the international community, particularly the US, has given the Taliban a platform and the recognition it needed to regain power in Afghanistan in a PTI report.

We are disappointed and despairing at the silence of the global community, Afghans are hopeful India will be a peacemaker and stand by them in the crisis, Akrami said to PTI's Sudipto Chowdhury in a phone interview from Kabul.

But first of all, India and Pakistan must solve their problems because Afghanistan has suffered a lot due to the issues between them," she told PTI as the Taliban consolidated its hold after a swift offensive through the war-ravaged country following the departure of American-led forces.

IAF plane carrying 120 Indians from Afghanistan lands at Jamnagar airbase

Jamnagar (Guj): An Indian Air Force plane with 120 people onboard landed on Tuesday at Jamnagar in Gujarat from Kabul in Afghanistan, an official said.

Quoting an offcial PTI reported that The C-17 aircraft touched down at the IAF airbase at Jamnagar at 11.15 am.

The aircraft had taken off from Kabul carrying Indian personnel as part of the emergency evacuation because of the prevailing situation in the Afghan capital following its takeover by the Taliban.

Immediately after passengers on board the C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft deplaned, they were greeted by people present on the tarmac, the official said.

Those on board included officials and security personnel from the Indian embassy in Kabul. Some Indian nationals are also learnt to have returned home on board the aircraft.

Taliban urges women to join its government

 Kabul: A Taliban official has announced a general 'amnesty' for all in Afghanistan and urged women to join its government, reports Associated Press. The report quotes Enamullah Samangani's  comment on Afghan state television which is now under its control. Samangani is the member of Islamic Emirate's cultural commissio.

The Islamic Emirate don't want women to be victims," he said, using the militants' term for Afghanistan.

The structure of government is not fully clear, but based on experience, there should be a fully Islamic leadership and all sides should join.

Read detailed story here

Bush expresses ‘deep sadness’ over situation

In a statement, former US President George Bush said he and former First Lady Laura Bush feel “deep sadness” over the events unfolding in Afghanistan.

“Laura and I have been watching the tragic events unfolding in Afghanistan with deep sadness.

“Our hearts are heavy for both the Afghan people who have suffered so much and for the Americans and NATO allies who have sacrificed so much,” the former president said in a statement.

Kabul airport situation stabilising, says Britain’s foreign minister

The position at Kabul airport is stabilising, Britain’s foreign minister said.

“The position at the airport is stabilising,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Sky News. “The stability at the airport is absolutely key.”