The Fall Of Kabul To The Taliban #2

[shotgun09]

More information from the NBC article:
BBM

"Other evacuees who are currently being evaluated in the D.C. area were found to have been deported from the U.S. previously for past criminal offenses, said two sources briefed on the data. The Department of Homeland Security is now deciding what to do with the individuals.

in a statement, a DHS spokesperson said, “The federal government has established a robust and multi-layered screening and vetting process with dual goals of protecting the homeland and providing protections for vulnerable Afghans."

U.S. plans to send at least two Afghan evacuees to Kosovo for more review

 

[shotgun09]

Well, this debacle provided a unique and fabulous opportunity for terrorists to not only penetrate our country but to have our own military escort them in for free.

I agree it was time for our troops to leave Afghanistan. Everything after that decision has been a terrorist’s wet dream.

Not funny...But OMG! LOL So true!
Said in my Best Excited Oprah voice...
" But wait...There's More! You get a free ride! And you get a free ride! "

I am sure the taliban having control of who got inside the airport had nothing to do with it.....

 

[ringbearer]

Well, this debacle provided a unique and fabulous opportunity for terrorists to not only penetrate our country but to have our own military escort them in for free.

I agree it was time for our troops to leave Afghanistan. Everything after that decision has been a terrorist’s wet dream.

And support them once they get here, naturally. jmo

 

[Skigh]

Male Afghan evacuees bringing child brides into the US | Daily Mail Online

 

[Skigh]

Taliban kill 17 and injure 41 with celebratory gunfire | Daily Mail Online


It was not immediately possible to get independent confirmation of events in Panjshir, which is walled off by mountains except for a narrow entrance and had held out against Soviet occupation as well as the previous Taliban government between 1996 and 2001.

The NRF is a coalition of anti-Taliban militia and former Afghan security forces who refused to surrender to the terrorists.

The NRF is believed to have stockpiled a significant armoury in the natural strong point - protected by high mountains and accessible through a narrow gorge.

Celebratory gunfire resounded all over Kabul on Friday as reports spread of the Taliban's takeover of Panjshir, with at least 17 people were killed and 41 injured in the firing.

 

[worldwatcher]

Taliban kill 17 and injure 41 with celebratory gunfire | Daily Mail Online


It was not immediately possible to get independent confirmation of events in Panjshir, which is walled off by mountains except for a narrow entrance and had held out against Soviet occupation as well as the previous Taliban government between 1996 and 2001.

The NRF is a coalition of anti-Taliban militia and former Afghan security forces who refused to surrender to the terrorists.

The NRF is believed to have stockpiled a significant armoury in the natural strong point - protected by high mountains and accessible through a narrow gorge.

Celebratory gunfire resounded all over Kabul on Friday as reports spread of the Taliban's takeover of Panjshir, with at least 17 people were killed and 41 injured in the firing.

I have read that the celebratory gunfire in Kabul was not because of Panjshir,but to welcome the chief ISI from Pakistan
Taliban govt formation UPDATES: Pakistan ISI's top official reaches Kabul

That Panjshir has fallen is propoganda from The Taliban.I don't think it's allowed here on WS,because of TOS.

But I have been following
Panjshir @NorthernAliance on twitter.
They still stand and fight!
Kudos to them
MOO

 

[Skigh]

Afghanistan's new rulers restart domestic flights from Kabul airport amid cash crisis | Daily Mail Online


Come fly Taliban Airways! Afghanistan's new rulers restart domestic flights from Kabul airport but there are still no planes out of the country, while fed-up locals are still struggling to get cash out of the banks

• Taliban restarted domestic flights from Kabul airport in a bid to receive aid from international community
• Afghanistan's impoverished economy has been thrown into disarray by the fall of the Ghani government
• Without aid that has sustained the country for years, the Islamists will find it hard to avert economic collapse
• One-third of the country is facing food insecurity and is in need of funds, the World Food Programme said
• Western powers have said that they are prepared to engage with the ruling Taliban and send aid
• But formal recognition of regime and broader assistance will depend on action to safeguard civil liberties

 

[shotgun09]

I find it terribly sad that there is not one word coming out of there regarding the remaining citizens that are stranded. The last I heard from the US spokesperson was that we are in contact with " a very few" people. That is not comforting to say the least. Are they safe? Are they held hostage?

Also sad and puzzling to me, is the continued silence and mysterious absence of any reports of relieved U.S. citizens who have been evacuated. Even prior to the 31st, (when the withdraw was touted as successful by the POTUS ) many US citizens were reported to have been airlifted out. Who and where are they? And, why haven't we heard from any of them? The lack of a precise number and verifiable facts coming from the government leads me to have many questions.

 

[shotgun09]

From Carla Babb, VOA news Pentagon Corespondent

A video call between a VOA reporter and an American citizen stuck in Kabul:

VOA Exclusive: American Stuck in Afghanistan Shares Her Story

 

[ringbearer]

Afghanistan's new rulers restart domestic flights from Kabul airport amid cash crisis | Daily Mail Online


Come fly Taliban Airways! Afghanistan's new rulers restart domestic flights from Kabul airport but there are still no planes out of the country, while fed-up locals are still struggling to get cash out of the banks

• Taliban restarted domestic flights from Kabul airport in a bid to receive aid from international community
• Afghanistan's impoverished economy has been thrown into disarray by the fall of the Ghani government
• Without aid that has sustained the country for years, the Islamists will find it hard to avert economic collapse
• One-third of the country is facing food insecurity and is in need of funds, the World Food Programme said
• Western powers have said that they are prepared to engage with the ruling Taliban and send aid
• But formal recognition of regime and broader assistance will depend on action to safeguard civil liberties

Why are Western powers prepared to send aid, when the Taliban is partnering with China? And why isn't the US media aksing this question? Things that make you go hmmmm.

Afghanistan: Taliban to rely on Chinese funds, spokesperson says

"Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has told an Italian newspaper that the group will rely primarily on financing from China following the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and its takeover of the country.

In his interview published by La Repubblica on Thursday, Mujahid said the Taliban will fight for an economic comeback with the help of China."

 

[worldwatcher]

I have been following up on the dogs who were left behind at airport Kabul.
Here is a story from an amazing lady:


"A Tennessee woman refused multiple opportunities to escape Afghanistan in an effort to save military contract dogs left behind during the American withdrawal from the country.

Clinton native Charlotte Maxwell-Jones is the director and founder of Kabul Small Animal Rescue in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she has lived for 11 years.

She told WVLT that she is staying behind until about 130 dogs, about 50 of which are military contract dogs, are safely evacuated... "

Woman stays in Afghanistan to save military contract dogs

I do hope she gets all the support /attention to get them airlifted.

 

[dotr]

Afghan filmmakers at Venice fear loss of identity, culture
''VENICE (AP) - Afghan female filmmakers who fled the Taliban begged the world to not forget the Afghan people and to support its artists, warning Saturday that a country without culture will eventually lose its identity.

The Venice Film Festival organized a panel discussion Saturday to give a platform to Sahraa Karimi, the first female president of the Afghan Film Organization, and documentary filmmaker Sahra Mani, who is presenting a project at the Venice film market fair.

Karimi choked up while telling reporters about her own escape - in which she had just hours to decide whether to stay or leave - and all that had been lost after the Taliban completed their takeover of the country.''

''She said many of Afghanistan's youngest and brightest left too, but said thousands more promising filmmakers couldn't get out and are now erasing their social media presence for their own safety and going underground.''

 

[LadyL]

Life in Kabul under Taliban: Where is your male escort?

 

[Dontknow?]

Google locks down Afghan government accounts as Taliban looks for access: report

An employee of the former government told Reuters the Taliban asked him in late July to save data on the ministry he formerly worked for on servers the group could access.

"If I do so, then they will get access to the data and official communications of the previous ministry leadership," the employee said, adding that he is now in hiding since he did not cooperate with the request.

 

[shotgun09]

DBM

 

[Skigh]

Taliban fighters advance into province of Panjshir amid fears country is descending into civil war | Daily Mail Online


Taliban fighters advance deep into province of Panjshir with resistance forces struggling to hold out amid fears country is descending into civil war which could fuel rise of ISIS

• US General Mark Milley: 'I think there's a very good probability of civil war'
• Analysts are concerned conditions could be ripe for Al Queda or ISIS to return
• The rugged valley of Panjshir held out against Soviet Union for nearly a decade
• Resistance fighters there also held on during Taliban's first rule from 1996-2001
• Former vice-president Amrullah Saleh spoke of 'large-scale humanitarian crisis'

 

[neesaki]

Afghan filmmakers at Venice fear loss of identity, culture
''VENICE (AP) - Afghan female filmmakers who fled the Taliban begged the world to not forget the Afghan people and to support its artists, warning Saturday that a country without culture will eventually lose its identity.

The Venice Film Festival organized a panel discussion Saturday to give a platform to Sahraa Karimi, the first female president of the Afghan Film Organization, and documentary filmmaker Sahra Mani, who is presenting a project at the Venice film market fair.

Karimi choked up while telling reporters about her own escape - in which she had just hours to decide whether to stay or leave - and all that had been lost after the Taliban completed their takeover of the country.''

''She said many of Afghanistan's youngest and brightest left too, but said thousands more promising filmmakers couldn't get out and are now erasing their social media presence for their own safety and going underground.''

And of course music is forbidden.
Afghan folk singer Fawad Andarabi killed by Taliban for playing music

 

[shotgun09]

Google locks down Afghan government accounts as Taliban looks for access: report

An employee of the former government told Reuters the Taliban asked him in late July to save data on the ministry he formerly worked for on servers the group could access.

"If I do so, then they will get access to the data and official communications of the previous ministry leadership," the employee said, adding that he is now in hiding since he did not cooperate with the request.

I am not exactly sure how I feel about Google meddling in Foreign Affairs. Are they part of NATO or the U.S. government now?

 

[neesaki]

Rep. McCaul says Taliban blocking Americans on 6 planes from leaving Afghanistan

McCaul later talked about the mass killings of former Afghan government officials and former Afghan defense forces, saying the retaliation against those who have helped US military has been "severe."

"The retaliation has been severe, Chris. You have stories of interpreters being taken home to their families and watching their wives and families being beheaded, executed before they execute the interpreter," McCaul said. "This is not a new and improved Taliban. This is the same old Taliban. They are reverting back to with the same brutal practices."

 

[shotgun09]

A very concerning sequenced tweet from Eena Ruffini, CBS News Corespondent in Foreign Affairs:
BBM

"New: CBS has learned multiple flights are being held on the ground at the Mazar-i-Sharif airport in Northern Afghanistan... by the Taliban. 1/

An email from the State Department to members of congress -- and viewed by CBS -- acknowledged that charter flights are still on the ground at the Mazar-i-Sharif airstrip and have permission to land in Doha "if and when the Taliban agrees to takeoff. 2/

"The Taliban is basically holding them hostage to get more out of the Americans," a senior congressional source told CBS News. 3/"

"The group Ascend, an NGO that teaches young women leadership through athletics, told CBS News they have two planes that have been waiting for six days ready to take between 600 and 1200 people -- including 19 American citizens and two permanent residents. 4/"

"The U.S. airfield in Qatar that has been standing by, ready to receive, is now beginning to pack up," Marina LeGree, the executive director, told CBS News. "We hope visibility will add pressure to force a solution. Six days of talks are not encouraging." 5/

"The State Department advised members of congress to tell groups seeking to evacuate out of Mazar-i-Sharif that the US does not have personnel on the ground in that location and does not control the airspace. 6/'

"Congressional and NGO sources say here are at least two physical plans on the ground and six more with approved clearance. The obstacle is the Taliban -- which controls the airport and is not letting people board or the planes take off. CBS has asked
@StateDept
for comment.."

https://twitter.com/EenaRuffini/status/1434530444419158022