Afghan Ministry of Interior: Taliban began storming Kabul from several directions

SANAA, Aug. 15 (YPA) – The Afghan Ministry of Interior announced that Taliban militants have started entering the capital, Kabul, from all directions.

The presidential palace said that shooting took place in areas in Kabul and the Afghan forces are defending the capital in coordination with their international partners, while a statement by the Taliban group said that negotiations are underway to ensure the process of handing over the capital, Kabul.

The French news agency AFP reported that the Taliban says it has ordered its fighters to stay at the entrances to Kabul and not to enter it.

A statement by the Taliban said that the group prefers to enter Kabul calmly and without a fight.

Eyewitnesses said that plumes of smoke from the US embassy in Kabul may have been caused by burning documents and papers.

NATO announced the transfer of several European Union employees to safe places in Kabul.

A Taliban official told Reuters: We do not want any innocent Afghan civilians to be killed or wounded as we take matters into their own hands, but we have not announced a ceasefire.

A Taliban leader in Doha told Reuters that the group’s fighters were ordered to stop at entry points in the capital and did not kill or wound anyone in Kabul.

The commander asked the Afghan forces to stop firing and allow all civilians and foreigners to cross now.

The Taliban spokesman called on Afghan civilians to stay in the country and not leave it out of fear.

The Taliban announced that it does not intend to take revenge on anyone and will forgive those who served the government and the army, as they put it.

An official at the Afghan presidential palace announced that President Ghani is holding emergency talks with US diplomat Khalilzad and senior NATO officials.

The Chargé d’Affairs of the Afghan Interior confirmed that Kabul will not be stormed and negotiations are underway to hand it over peacefully.

The city of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan fell to the Taliban on Sunday, as the group’s forces controlled all parts of the city amid a mass escape of prisoners in this city.

Within a week and a half, the Taliban had almost completely taken control of northern, western and southern Afghanistan and reached the gates of Kabul. without showing any indication of its desire to slow its progress.