Two weeks after seizing power in Afghanistan, the Taliban are all set to form a government in the country on Friday. Sources said the Taliban will form a government after Friday prayers. However, a report by News18 said it was unlikely to happen today as most of the group leaders are in Kandahar and their negotiations are still not completed. The Taliban are already preparing to name Haibatullah Akhundzada as its supreme leader.
The Taliban took Afghanistan under their control after capturing Kabul on August 15. The last of the troops from the United States were airlifted by their government on August 31, leaving the Taliban in full control of Afghanistan without any foreign troops in the country for the first time in over 20 years. The Islamic militant group reveled in their victory after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, reiterating their pledge to bring peace and security to the country after decades of war. The legitimacy of the new government in the eyes of international donors and investors will be crucial for the economy as the country battles drought and the ravages of a conflict that took the lives of an estimated 240,000 Afghans. The new regime will be formed under intense international scrutiny over its vow to rule Afghanistan with greater tolerance, especially on women’s rights and also to govern the nation that relies heavily on international aid and are in the midst of a worsening economic crisis.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have promised to allow safe passage out of the country for any foreigners or Afghans left behind by the massive airlift which ended with the withdrawal of the last US troops on Monday. But with Kabul airport still closed, many were seeking to flee overland to neighbouring countries.
