After announcing that the Taliban won’t take over Afghan capital Kabul by force, Taliban negotiators on Sunday afternoon headed to the presidential palace for a ‘peaceful transition of power’, news agency Associated Press reported. The official, who spoke to the news agency on condition of anonymity “because of fear of reprisals”, said the goal was a peaceful handing over of the government to the Taliban. Acting interior minister Abdul Satar Mirzakwal said the transition will take place peacefully, Tolo news reported.
The Taliban leadership on Sunday said they don’t intend to take over the capital by force and also asked Kabul citizens to not panic and leave the city. Lives and properties will not be harmed and the insurgent group does not intend to take any revenge, Taliban leaders told news agencies.
After the fall of Jalalabad, Afghanistan’s last major city apart from Kabul which was not held by the Taliban, the insurgent group advanced towards the capital and around noon, the presidential palace confirmed firing in Kabul. The presidential palace, however, downplayed the firing and said the security situation is under control.
Soon after it entered Kabul, the Taliban said they will not use force as they demand a peaceful surrender of the capital. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Al-Jazeera English satellite news channel that the insurgents are “awaiting a peaceful transfer of Kabul city.”
On Saturday, President Ashraf Ghani addressed the people of the war-torn country and said the situation will not be allowed to escalate any further. However, the situation changed as the warlords with whom he negotiated a few days ago surrendered to the Taliban or fled, leaving Ghani without a military option.
On Saturday, the President consulted leaders and it was decided that negotiation for a ceasefire and an interim set-up will be pursued. Whether the ‘peaceful transition’ that the interior ministry has indicated is an interim government is not known as the details of the negotiations are yet to be made public.
The international leadership has reacted to the Taliban advancement in Kabul and Russia said it is working with other countries to hold an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
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