Afghanistan latest news: Seven killed at Kabul airport as desperate Afghans scramble to escape
Afghan asylum seekers will be allowed to flee Taliban to Britain without a passport
Kabul airport in chaos as thousands overrun runway in desperate bid to escape Taliban
Joe Biden isolated and under fire at Camp David as Afghanistan falls to Taliban
Ben Wallace breaks down as he admits 'some will be left behind' in Afghanistan
At least seven people have been killed at Kabul's airport amid desperate scenes as thousands tried to force their way onto flights and avoid being left in the hands of the Taliban.
Crowds mobbed the tarmac at Hamid Karzai International, scaling walls and gantries as they tried to fight their way onto aircraft. As lumbering military aircraft taxied for take-off to ferry international diplomats to safety, hundreds of young men ran alongside and climbed on the moving planes.
The Pentagon confirmed that two of the dead were armed men killed by US soldiers, as the American forces scrambled to reclaim control of the airport, the primary evacuation route for all those fleeing the Taliban. Earlier on today, all evacuation flights were temporarily halted due to chaotic scenes on the tarmac.
Apache helicopter gunships could be seen hovering low across the runways in advance of transports, trying to sweep a way through the crowds.
Several commercial airlines said they had stopped services because of the anarchy, trapping thousands more and adding to the chaos.
Numerous airlines, including British Airways and Air France-KLM, are avoiding Afghan airspace. CNBC reported that United Airlines has started rerouting its India flights, while Flydubai and Emirates have also suspended flights to Kabul.
03:43 PM
Saudi Arabia urges Taliban to protect lives under 'Islamic principles'
Saudi Arabia has urged Taliban insurgents who seized Afghanistan's capital Kabul to preserve lives, property and security as stipulated by "Islamic principles".
"The Kingdom stands with the choices that the Afghan people make without interference," the foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, said in a statement issued by official media.
"Based on the noble principles of Islam..., the kingdom of Saudi Arabia hopes that the Taliban movement and all Afghan parties will work to preserve security, stability, lives and property,"
It also voiced hope the situation would stabilise as soon as possible, as thousands of Afghans fearful of the Taliban thronged Kabul airport in desperate efforts to leave. Seven people were killed in the chaos on Monday.
Fellow Gulf state Qatar said it was seeking a peaceful transition in Afghanistan and was doing its utmost to help efforts to evacuate diplomats and foreign staff in international organizations from the country.
Doha has hosted a Taliban office since 2013 for peace talks and has played a central role in trying to reach a political settlement in Afghanistan with the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
"There is international concern about the fast pace of developments and Qatar is doing its utmost to bring a peaceful transition, especially after the vacuum that happened," Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a news conference in the Jordanian capital Amman.
03:26 PM
Russia says Kabul situation 'stabilising', claims Taliban 'restoring public order'
The Russian foreign ministry have issued a statement saying the situation in Kabul "is stabilising" after the Afghan capital fell to the Taliban this weekend and claimed that the militants have started to "restore public order".
Russia, whose ambassador is due to meet with the Taliban on Tuesday, claimed the militants had vowed to "guarantee the safety of local people", despite thousands of Afghans trying to flee the group's hardline version of Islam.
In the statement, Moscow confirmed it had "established working contacts with representatives of the new authorities".
Unlike Western countries - which scrambled to get their diplomats out of the country as the Taliban completed its military takeover of the country this weekend - Russia has said its embassy in Kabul will stay open.
Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov told Russian state media that the Taliban had already started to guard his embassy.
Foreign ministry official Zamir Kabulov said Monday that Russia would decide on recognising the new Taliban government based "on the conduct of the new authorities".
03:07 PM
Joe Biden to return to White House to address Afghanistan situation
The White House has issued an update to Joe Biden's daily schedule, saying the President will now return to Washington at 6pm BST before delivering remarks about the situation in Afghanistan at 8.45pm BST tonight.
Biden has come in for heavy criticism for not addressing the unfolding situation in Afghanistan and has been stationed at his official retreat Camp David for the past few days.
He had originally planned to remain there until Wednesday, but has cut his trip short. Our US correspondent Josie Ensor has reported that the President has been accused of "hiding" in the Maryland countryside. You can read her report in full here.
03:01 PM
Latest pictures of Taliban troops in Afghanistan
02:47 PM
Pentagon official says US soldiers kill two armed men as death toll rises to seven at Kabul airport
An anonymous Pentagon official has said that American soldiers have killed two men who were reportedly armed at Kabul airport as the day's death toll has risen to seven.
"In the thousands of people who were there peacefully, two guys who had weapons brandished them menacingly. They were both killed," the official said, insisting on anonymity. "Initial reports indicate armed assailants fired into the crowd."
The announcement comes as the American defence branch also confirmed that evacuation flights in and out of the airfield are set to resume after a temporary suspension was enforced due to chaotic scenes on the tarmac.
It has also been confirmed that American Middle East armed forces chief will meet with Taliban representatives in Doha, though no timeline was immediately provided.
02:41 PM
U.N. chief urges Security Council to protect human rights in Afghanistan
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the Security Council to "use all tools at its disposal to suppress the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan" and guarantee that basic human rights will be respected.
"We are receiving chilling reports of severe restrictions on human rights throughout the country. I am particularly concerned by accounts of mounting human rights violations against the women and girls of Afghanistan," he told an emergency Security Council meeting.
"We cannot and must not abandon the people of Afghanistan," he said.
Guterres also urged the world to work together to "suppress the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan."
"The international community must unite to make sure that Afghanistan is never again used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organizations," he told the 15-member council.
02:28 PM
US officials met with Taliban over airport chaos
The Associated Press are reporting that a U.S. defense officials says the head of Central Command has met face-to-face with senior Taliban leaders to urge their fighters not to interfere with the U.S. military's evacuation operations at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
The official said that in the meeting on Sunday in Doha, Qatar, General Frank McKenzie won Taliban agreement to establish a "deconfliction mechanism" - an arrangement by which evacuation operations at the airport can continue without interference by the new rulers of the country.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive talks not yet announced publicly. The official said McKenzie urged the Taliban not to interfere with the evacuation and said the U.S. military would respond forcefully to defend the airport if necessary.
The news come as a US administration official told AFP that the Taliban will be denied access to any Afghan reserves held in US accounts.
As US forces were evacuating Afghanistan's capital after the Taliban's swift takeover, the official said, "Any Central Bank assets the Afghan government have in the United States will not be made available to the Taliban."
The central bank's gross reserves totaled $9.4 billion at the end of April, according to the International Monetary Fund. But most of those funds are held outside of Afghanistan, according to a person familiar with the issue.
It was not immediately clear what share is held in the United States.
02:11 PM
Italian diplomats, Afghans arrive in Rome from Kabul
About 70 Italian diplomats and Afghans reached Rome on Monday after being evacuated from Kabul following the fall of the capital to the Taliban.
The KC-767 military transport plane touched down at Rome's Fiumicino international airport at about 1230 GMT carrying some 50 diplomats and 20 Afghans who had worked with Italian forces in Afghanistan, the foreign ministry said.
Their arrival came after a last-minute evacuation at Kabul's airport on Sunday, as Western powers scrambled to fly out their remaining embassy staff and Afghans who worked as interpreters or other support roles.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Monday that his country was committed to "protect Afghan citizens who have worked with our mission".
He added: "Italy is working with its European partners for a solution to this crisis that safeguards human rights, and in particular those of women."
According to the defence ministry, 228 Afghans who worked for Italy and their families are already in Italy.
01:55 PM
How world leaders reacted to Taliban takeover
Watch below how world leaders reacted to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan after the militant group seized control of the capital city.
01:42 PM
Merkel says Germany may need to rescue 10,000 people
Germany must urgently evacuate up to 10,000 people from Afghanistan for whom it has responsibility, Chancellor Angela Merkel told party colleagues, warning that the fallout from the conflict will last for a very long time.
The remarks, made at a closed-door meeting of her Christian Democrat party on Monday and relayed by meeting participants, reflect growing concern about bloodshed in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized the capital and proclaimed peace.
"We are witnessing difficult times," Ms Merkel said. "Now we must focus on the rescue mission."
Ms Merkel said those needing evacuation included 2,500 Afghan support staff as well as human rights activists, lawyers and others whom the government sees as being at risk if they remained in the country, up to 10,000 altogether.
She also said Berlin should cooperate with countries bordering Afghanistan to support those fleeing now, adding: "This topic will keep us busy for a very long time."
01:26 PM
Trump: Biden ‘destroyed confidence in American power and influence’
Donald Trump has accused Joe Biden of “surrendering to the Taliban” and destroying “confidence in American power and influence” following the chaos in Afghanistan.
The former-president went on to claim in a statement that the withdrawal outcome would have been “totally different” if his administration were in charge.
Here is the statement in full:
"First Joe Biden surrendered to COVID and it has come roaring back.
"Then he surrendered to the Taliban, who has quickly overtaken Afghanistan and destroyed confidence in American power and influence.
"The outcome in Afghanistan, including the withdrawal, would have been totally different if the Trump Administration had been in charge.
"Who or what will Joe Biden surrender to next? Someone should ask him, if they can find him."
01:07 PM
Defiant Kabul woman says she's 'not scared' of Taliban
A woman from Kabul, Afghanistan has said that she doesn't fear the Taliban's advance on her city. "This is my homeland, my land," she said. Elsewhere on Sunday residents spoke of only wishing for "peace" in the transition of power.
12:54 PM
Taliban takeover is a 'failure of the international community'
The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan is a "failure of the international community", the defence secretary said on Monday, assessing that the West's intervention was a job only half-done.
"All of us know that Afghanistan is not finished. It's an unfinished problem for the world and the world needs to help it," Ben Wallace told the BBC.
He maintained the 20-year intervention by US-led forces "wasn't a waste, it wasn't for nothing" but accused Western powers of being politically short-sighted.
"If it's a failure, it's a failure of the international community to not realise that you don't fix things overnight," he said.
12:38 PM
In pictures: the fall of Kabul
Kabul airport saw chaotic scenes as thousands of residents scrambled for flights away from the feared hardline rule of the Taliban.
Islamist forces walked into the capital virtually unopposed, after the US withdrew its support for the Afghan government.
12:28 PM
Evacuation flights halted as chaos continues
All evacuation flights from Kabul’s airport have been cancelled following chaos as thousands of people stormed the runway, according to officials.
A US defense official said the temporary block on flights was implemented to clear those who had converged on the tarmac.
Although thousands of Afghans are thought to be awaiting evacuation, it remains unclear when flights will resume.
A spokesman from the German Foreign Ministry confirmed the cancellation of flights.
“I understand there is no air traffic at the moment because a large number of desperate people are crowding the tarmac,” the spokesperson told reporters.
12:12 PM
Afghan military to blame, says top US official
The failure of the Afghan military is to blame for the Taliban's swift takeover of Afghanistan, the US National Security Advisor has said.
Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden did not want to enter a "third decade of conflict" in Afghanistan and believed it was time for the Afghan army to defend the country.
But Mr Sullivan said: "We could not give them the will and ultimately they decided that they would not fight for Kabul."
He added that the "worst-case scenario" for the US would be to send thousands of troops to fight in a civil war when the Afghan army "wasn't prepared to fight itself".
President Biden faced “bad choices” on the subject but “stands by” his decision to lead, he said.
11:59 AM
Afghans stranded at Pakistan border
On Sunday, the Taliban captured the Torkham border post with Pakistan, leaving Kabul airport the only way out of Afghanistan still in government hands.
Afghans who fled to the border following the Taliban takeover are now stranded.
11:45 AM
Will Afghanistan's warlords stand up to the Taliban?
President Ashraf Ghani has turned to controversial, storied fighters as government forces crumble, report Roland Oliphant and Ben Farmer.
Shortly after Taliban fighters entered the Afghan city of Herat on Thursday, they paraded a prisoner: an elderly man with a long white beard, apparently too old and slight to be a front line commander.
Any Afghan watching the video clips could immediately identify him though and appreciate his significance. He was Ismail Khan - the “lion of Herat”, one of a generation of Mujahideen warlords who fought against both the Soviet occupation and then the Taliban in the 1990s.
Only days earlier Mr Khan had been feted for remobilising his militia to fend off a Taliban attack on the city, as the Afghan president turned to these strongmen in desperation to stop the Taliban advance.
His capture sent a further shock through Afghan society and dealt a blow to the government’s remaining hopes of survival. It also highlighted their possible importance in the coming days when men like Khan are set to play a key role in both the last ditch defences of the Afghan government and any negotiations with the Taliban.
You can read our full report here.
11:36 AM
'Hundreds' of Brits to be evacuated daily, says PMs spokesperson
Britain will evacuate hundreds of British nationals and eligible Afghan nationals every day, and flights out of Afghanistan will continue for as long as it is safe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Monday.
"I'd say at least hundreds every day will be leaving (on) the flights, but obviously this is a fluid situation," the spokesman said.
Asked how long Britain planned to keep such flights going, he said: "We want to obviously continue to do this as long as we are able to do so and as long as it is safe to do so."
The government COBR emergency response committee will meet later on Monday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
11:26 AM
Afghan turmoil leaves Paralympic athletes unable to compete
Afghanistan's Paralympic team will not participate in the Games in Tokyo next week because they are trapped in the country, the International Paralympic Committee said Monday.
Just two Para athletes from Afghanistan were scheduled to compete in the Games - taekwondo athletes Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli.
Ms Khudadadi, 23, was to be the first woman ever to represent Afghanistan at the Paralympics.
But the IPC confirmed Monday that with the Taliban takeover, the two athletes would no longer be able to travel to Japan.
"Regrettably NPC (National Paralympic Committee) Afghanistan will no longer participate in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games," IPC spokesman Craig Spence said.
"Due to the serious ongoing situation in the country, all airports are closed and there is no way for them to travel to Tokyo."
11:17 AM
Everything you need to know
Good afternoon to those of you who have recently joined us. Here is a round-up of the key events you need to know about so far:
It took the Taliban just over a week to seize control of Afghanistan after a lightning sweep.
President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as the Islamist militants entered the city, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed.
The Taliban are in control of Afghanistan and British forces are not going to return to fight the insurgents, the defence minister has said.
Western nations have stepped up efforts to evacuate their citizens from Kabul.
The first flight of British nationals and embassy staff from Afghanistan arrived in the UK last night at RAF Brize Norton.
A former Number 10 National Security advisor and UK ambassador to Afghanistan has warned there is a “direct threat” of terrorism to Britain because of the Taliban’s control of the country.
At least five people were killed at Kabul's airport amid desperate scenes as thousands tried to force their way onto flights and avoid being left in the hands of the Taliban.
A number of people gripping onto the bottom of a plane fell from the sky after it took off, according to reports.
Several commercial airlines said they had stopped services because of the anarchy, trapping thousands more and adding to the chaos.
11:03 AM
Merkel says Afghanistan withdrawal due partly to US 'domestic politics'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that US domestic politics were in part to blame on Western troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, sources in her party told AFP.
At a meeting with her CDU-CSU party leadership, Merkel said NATO's decision to pull out after almost two decades of deployment was "ultimately made by the Americans", and that "domestic political reasons" were partly to blame.
10:55 AM
Saigon then, Kabul now
Comparisons are being drawn between the rush to escape Kabul after the Taliban takeover and the evacuation of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War.
There were chaotic scenes at Kabul Airport as hundreds of people attempted to flee Afghanistan. People were filmed climbing on to airplanes and running across the tarmac in an attempt to secure a seat on a flight out of the capital.
These scenes appeared akin to the evacuation from Saigon in 1975, when hundreds of Vietnamese and Americans flocked to the US Embassy to be airlifted out of the country when the Vietnam War ended.
Watch the video above to see archival footage from 1975 compared to today's events.
10:42 AM
People fall from flying plane, reports claim
A number of people gripping onto the bottom of a plane have fallen from the sky after it took off from Kabul airport, according to reports.
Earlier we shared a video of Afghans desperately scrambling to climb a US Air Force transport craft taxiing on the runway.
But now further clips widely shared on social media reportedly show at least two people lose their grip as a plane gains altitude. It remains unclear whether this craft is American.
Graphic photographs are believed to show their bodies on the ground.
One Kabul based outlet said: “BREAKING NEWS – Locals near Kabul airport claim that three young men who were holding themselves tightly in the wheels of an aeroplane fell on top of people’s houses.
“One of the locals confirmed this and said that the fall of these people made a loud and terrifying noise.”
10:34 AM
Raab returns to work after accusation he went 'AWOL' during Kabul crisis
Dominic Raab returned to work this morning after being accused of being 'AWOL' during the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan last week.
The Foreign Secretary was pictured carrying his red ministerial briefcase and his suit jacket over his shoulder on Monday morning.
Labour have accused Mr Raab of being absent as the Taliban marched on Kabul, and questions were raised about the UK's ability to repatriate embassy staff and British nationals stranded in the country.
Lisa Nandy, Mr Raab's opposite number on the Labour benches, said: "For the Foreign Secretary to go AWOL during an international crisis of this magnitude is nothing short of shameful.
“A catastrophe is unfolding in front of our eyes and while the Foreign Secretary is nowhere to be seen, hundreds of British nationals are being evacuated and his department is cancelling scholarships for young Afghans."
This morning Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, said he was not aware of Mr Raab's movements but that he had been contactable during the crisis.
But The Telegraph reported this morning that seven British ambassadors from nearby countries had yet to hear from Mr Raab.
10:14 AM
Desperate Afghans climb taxiing US aircraft
Hundreds of Afghans swarmed and climbed onboard a United Air Force craft taxiing on a runway in a desperate effort to leave Kabul.
Video recorded at the airport shows complete chaos across tarmac as Afghans leapt to grab onto the craft and block its path. Children can be seen in the clips.
Thousands of Afghans travelled to Kabul’s airport overnight as they tried to escape the Taliban, who now claim to have complete control of the country.
"We are afraid to live in this city," a 25-year-old ex-soldier said as he stood among huge crowds on the tarmac. "Since I served in the army, the Taliban would definitely target me."
The US government said Monday it had secured the airport, but witnesses reported soldiers firing shots into the air to ward off crowds.
Authorities then cancelled all remaining commercial flights, citing the threat of looters.
09:58 AM
Taliban in Kabul start collecting weapons from civilians
Taliban fighters in the Afghan capital, Kabul, started collecting weapons from civilians on Monday because people no longer need them for personal protection, a Taliban official said.
"We understand people kept weapons for personal safety. They can now feel safe. We are not here to harm innocent civilians," the official told Reuters.
City resident Salad Moleskin, director of the MOBY group media company, said on Twitter that Taliban soldiers had come to his company compound to enquire about the weapons kept by his security team.
09:45 AM
The latest evacuation plans by country
As the chaotic effort to evacuate Afghanistan continues, here is a roundup of plans so far:
Britain: Defense Secretary Ben Wallace says the government is planning to fly out 1,500 more people from Afghanistan over the next two days.
United States: American citizens, locally employed staff of the US mission in Kabul and their families and other vulnerable Afghan nationals will leave. Nearly 2,000 Afghans eligible for special immigrant visas have arrived in the US over the past two weeks.
Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is planning to deploy soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuation of German nationals and Afghans in danger.
Italy: A total of 70 embassy staff and Afghan employees from the capital city of Kabul were evacuated overnight. Prior to the Taliban advance, 228 Afghanis and their families had been transferred to Italy. Others are reportedly still waiting.
Portugal: The country’s defense minister says Portugal is prepared to take in 243 Afghans and their families who worked with Portuguese forces. NATO is coordinating the evacuation of the Afghans as Portugal does not have the military capacity to do so.
Australia: Three transport and air-to-air refueling jets with 250 military personnel will repatriate more than 130 Australians and their families. Australia is also working to evacuate an undisclosed number of refugees.
New Zealand: The government says it is sending a military transport plane to help with the evacuation of 53 New Zealanders and dozens of Afghans who helped New Zealand troops.
09:30 AM
Who is the Taliban leader set to control Afghanistan?
As the Taliban seizes control of Afghanistan, questions remain over how hardline the group's reclusive leader Haibatullah Akhundzada will be.
His one known photo shows him staring calmly at the camera, sporting a crisp white turban and well-groomed beard.
Unlike many other Islamic militant leaders, Haibatullah Akhundzada does not favour bloodthirsty videos or swaggering poses with guns.
You can read our in-depth profile on the potential leader here.
09:17 AM
Donald Trump 'rushed' peace deal with Taliban
Donald Trump “rushed” a peace deal with the Taliban, allowing the insurgents to believe that “they had won”, the defence secretary has said.
Ben Wallace told Radio 4 Joe Biden “inherited” the current crisis and that “the die was cast when the deal was done by Donald Trump”.
“President Biden inherited a momentum, a momentum that had been given to the Taliban because they felt they had now won, he’d also inherited a momentum of troop withdrawal from the international community, the US.
“So I think in that sense, the seeds of what we’re seeing today were before President Biden took office. The seeds were a peace deal that was (effectively) rushed, that wasn’t done in collaboration properly with the international community and then a dividend taken out incredibly quickly.”
09:06 AM
Defence committee chair calls for inquiry over 'Saigon 2.0' scramble from Kabul
The Tory MP Tobias Ellwood has compared chaotic scenes at Kabul airport to "Saigon 2.0", referencing evacuations as the North Vietnamese army captured the southern capital and ended the Vietnam War, Tony Diver reports.
Mr Ellwood, a former British Army captain and current chairman of the Defence Select Committee, tweeted: "Chaotic exodus from Kabul airport. Apaches used to clear the runway.
"If this is not Saigon 2.0 I don't know what is. Is this how we thought we'd depart Afghanistan? I repeat my call for a UK inquiry."
Earlier this morning Mr Ellwood said the West should "hang its head in shame after abruptly abandoning Afghanistan to a civil war after two decades of effort".
“This is not a good day for the West at all, and China will be observing things very, very closely indeed," he told Sky News.
"They are already making alliances with the Taliban and glossing over the human rights atrocities that are likely to unfold.”
08:54 AM
Lord Sedwill warns of 'direct threat' of terrorism in UK after Taliban takeover
A former Number 10 National Security advisor and UK ambassador to Afghanistan has warned there is a “direct threat” of terrorism to Britain because of the Taliban’s control of the country.
Lord Sedwill told the BBC: “We have to see whether the Taliban will honour their commitments not to allow Afghanistan to become a haven for terrorists and indeed drug traffickers as well.
“I think that's one of the two or three things we really must do now to in response to this, is work with China, Russia, Afghanistan's neighbours and others who have - whatever our differences on other issues - a common interest in ensuring that Afghanistan does not become another source of terrorism.”
The peer, who served as UK's most senior civil servant, also warned that Islamists in other countries would be emboldened by the existence of a new emirate.
The UN Security Council will meet today at 3pm to discuss the latest situation in the country.
08:45 AM
In pictures: Taliban seize presidential palace
Earlier the Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan over after taking control of the presidential palace.
"Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen. They have witnessed the fruits of their efforts and their sacrifices for 20 years," Mohammad Naeem, the spokesman for the Taliban's political office, told Al Jazeera TV.
"Thanks to God, the war is over in the country."
08:35 AM
Russian ambassador to meet Taliban in Kabul Tuesday
Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan will meet with the Taliban in Kabul on Tuesday, foreign ministry official Zamir Kabulov said.
"Our ambassador is in contact with the Taliban leadership, tomorrow he will meet with the Taliban security coordinator," Mr Kabulov said in a interview to the Ekho Moskvy radio station on Monday, adding that Moscow will decide on recognising the new government based on its "conduct".
08:27 AM
How the Taliban overran Afghanistan
The Taliban on Sunday night completed a lightning takeover of Afghanistan.
Less than two weeks after taking their first Afghan city in an offensive to recapture territory lost in the Allied invasion of 2001, the Taliban walked into the capital, Kabul, virtually unopposed.
The speed of the takeover has stunned the West. Use the map below to track their rapid advance.
08:13 AM
Germany forces to aid Afghan evacuations
Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is planning to deploy soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuation of German nationals and Afghans in danger from the Taliban, parliamentary sources said Monday.
The government is planning to seek a mandate from parliament to allow the deployment of as many as "several hundred soldiers", the sources told AFP, citing a briefing by Ms Merkel to leaders of parliamentary groups late Sunday.
08:08 AM
Defence Secretary fights back tears as he admits: 'Some people won't get back'
Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, held back tears in an interview this morning as he admitted many people will not reach Western forces in Kabul to be evacuated, Tony Diver reports.
“Some people won't get back, and we will have to do our best in third countries to process those people," he told LBC.
Asked why he felt so personally about people left in the country, he began: “Because I’m a soldier”, before adding: “Because it’s sad. And the West has done what it’s done.”
The UK military will attempt to evacuate all UK officials and citizens, plus Afghan asylum seekers who assisted Western forces and are at risk of retribution from the Taliban, by August 31.
But civilians who are outside of Kabul and cannot travel to the capital will be beyond the reach of Western forces and will be left behind.
Ministers are also looking to relax border rules to allow asylum seekers who are already known to UK officials to flee to Britain without a passport.
07:51 AM
British nationals and embassy staff land in UK
The first flight of British nationals and embassy staff from Afghanistan arrived in the UK last night at RAF Brize Norton.
“The UK Armed Forces are supporting the evacuation of British Nationals and those eligible for relocation under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Program,” the Ministry of Defence said.
07:26 AM
Washington left Afghanistan in 'tatters'
Chinese state media have criticised Washington for leaving Afghanistan “in tatters” and said its exit proves that it is an unreliable partner led by self-interest, Louise Watt reports from Taipei.
An opinion piece in the Global Times says Washington faces “the embarrassment” of the overthrow of the government it has helped build in Afghanistan over the past two decades.
The situation in Afghanistan “proves that Washington is an ‘unreliable partner’ that always abandons its partners or allies to seek self-interest,” said the piece in the Global Times, which is published by the ruling Chinese Communist Party's official People's Daily newspaper.
The newspaper's provocative editor-in-chief, Hu Xijin, drew a comparison with January's storming of the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump, tweeting Monday: “Chinese netizens joked that the power transition in Afghanistan is even more smooth than presidential transition in the US.”
China has long resented the presence of Western forces in Afghanistan, but is also fearful of it becoming a base for insurgents who could threaten the security of China’s Xinjiang region, which shares a 50-mile border with Afghanistan.
China has been deepening its relations with the Taliban. Late last month, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held talks with Taliban representatives, including co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in the Chinese city of Tianjin.
07:18 AM
Five people shot dead at Kabul airport, according to witnesses
At least five people have been shot and killed at Kabul airport, three witnesses have told Reuters.
The airport has been in chaos overnight as thousands of desperate Afghans invaded its runways in the dark, jostling for a place on one of the last commercial flights to leave.
Earlier US forces fired into the air to stop people surging onto the tarmac to try to board a military flight, a US official said.
It is unclear who fired the shots.
07:08 AM
Watch: Chaos at Kabul airport
Hundreds of desperate Afghans flocked to Kabul airport on Sunday night and Monday morning to flee the country after the Taliban takeover.
Chaotic scenes unfolded at the capital's airport as people ran on to the tarmac and attempted to climb on to planes leaving Afghanistan.
A US official said American forces fired in the air on Monday morning to prevent hundreds of civilians running on to the tarmac.
06:57 AM
US credibility 'diminished'
The US's reputation as a global power has been badly tarnished by the Taliban's rapid takeover, critics say.
"America's credibility as an ally is diminished," said Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States.
Despite the rapid collapse of the Afghan government, the Biden administration has insisted in recent days that its two decades of war in Afghanistan was a success.
President Joe Biden also said he was determined there was no choice but to withdraw American troops, as he would not "pass this war" onto another president.
06:48 AM
US halts civilian evacuation flights, sources claim
US evacuation flights of Afghan interpreters and their families have been halted, according to reports.
Sources familiar with the situation say security forces are focusing instead on evacuating US personnel from the embassy.
Thousands of Afghans crowded onto the tarmac in the hope of catching any flight out after the weekend Taliban takeover on Monday.
The US State Department said American troops had secured the perimeter of the airport and the embassy in Kabul tweeted to tell American nationals and Afghans to "not travel to the airport".
But thousands of Afghans - even some with no links to the US-led coalition - showed up in the hope of getting out, even without tickets or visas for foreign destinations.
06:39 AM
Britain doing 'everything it can' to evacuate
Britain is doing everything it can to evacuate British citizens and Afghans with links to Britain, the defence secretary has said.
"Our target is... about 1200 to 1500 exit a day in the capacity of our aeroplanes, and we'll keep that flow," Ben Wallace told Sky News.
The embassy has also been relocated to Kabul airport from the city. Asked what he would feel to see the Taliban flag flying over the former British embassy building in Kabul, Mr Wallace said:
"Symbolically, it's not what any of us wanted."
06:32 AM
'I'm scared I'll be raped and killed'
When she joined the Afghan National Army as a officer cadet in 2011 amid an internationally backed campaign to recruit more female soldiers, Kubra Behroz was unapologetic and proud.
“I don’t want to be owned by anyone. I want to stand on my own two feet,” she said of her decision, seen by many in the conservative country as controversial. “I love my country and we are the next generation of Afghans taking a step into the modern world.”
Now, however, as the Taliban cement their sweeping victories across the country by seizing Kabul, she is afraid.
Afghanistan's female soldiers are fearing for their lives - read more here.
06:22 AM
Ben Wallace: Taliban control Afghanistan and British return 'not on the cards'
The Taliban are in control of Afghanistan and British forces are not going to return to fight the insurgents, the defence minister said on Monday.
"I acknowledge that the Taliban are in control of the country," Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News. "I mean, you don't have to be a political scientist to spot that's where we're at."
Asked if Britain and NATO would return to Afghanistan, Mr Wallace said: "That's not on the cards... we're going to go back."
06:09 AM
Commercial flights cancelled
Commercial flights in and out of Kabul have been cancelled due to "chaos", according to officials.
It comes after widely shared footage showed hundreds of Afghans swarming the airports runway overnight.
"There will be no commercial flights from Hamid Karzai Airport to prevent looting and plundering. Please do not rush to the airport," the Kabul airport authority said in a message sent to reporters.
US troops are in charge at the airport, helping in the evacuation of embassy staff and other civilians.
05:49 AM
Shots fired, people reportedly killed
Footage has emerged which shows people who appear to be dead, with reports they were shot by US soldiers at Kabul airport. This has not yet been verified.
The graphic video was posted on Twitter.
Other video has shown Afghans desperately trying to force their way onto planes to escape the country.
05:32 AM
'Sheer helplessness at Kabul airport'
This is how desperate people are to escape Afghanistan this morning:
05:25 AM
US forces aim to control airport crowd
American forces fired in the air at Kabul's airport on Monday to prevent hundreds of civilians running onto the tarmac, a US official said.
"The crowd was out of control," the official told Reuters by phone.
"The firing was only done to defuse the chaos."
Hundreds of Afghans have jammed the airport trying to get out of the country after Taliban insurgents entered the capital on Sunday.
US troops are in charge at the airport, helping in the evacuation of embassy staff and other civilians.
05:15 AM
Empty streets a sign of change as airport fills
Kabul's streets were deserted early today, but the airport was jammed with hundreds of civilians trying to flee.
Government offices were empty, residents said.
The Wazir Akbar Khan embassy district was deserted with almost all diplomats and their families either flown out of the city or at the airport awaiting a flight.
There were few guards left at the checkpoints in the usually heavily fortified area - some motorists were getting out of their cars to lift barriers at the checkpoints before driving through.
In Kabul, a tense calm set in, with most people hiding in their homes.
There were scattered reports of looting and armed men knocking on doors and gates.
The Taliban freed thousands of prisoners as they swept across the country and the police melted away.
The Taliban deployed fighters at major intersections and sought to project calm, circulating videos showing quiet city streets.
05:00 AM
Taliban member spotted outside airport
A photo taken this morning (below) shows a member of the Taliban (centre) standing outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.
While the airport has so far not come under attack, there are fears that could change quickly with Taliban insurgents now effectively in control of the capital.
04:53 AM
Airport chaos continues in Kabul
The chaos at Kabul's airport continues today as images emerge of people desperate to get out:
04:47 AM
We have the means to get them out, says Johnson
Britain's Defence Ministry said troops had arrived in Kabul to help evacuate remaining Britons.
Lead elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade are working with US forces to secure Kabul airport to ensure flights can continue as Afghans and foreigners alike scramble to leave.
Boris Johnson said after chairing a Cabinet emergency committee meeting on Sunday that the priority was to get out British nationals as well as Afghans who helped UK forces over the past 20 years, "as fast as we can".
"The ambassador is working round the clock, has been there in the airport to help process the applications," he told Sky News.
"We certainly have the means at the moment to get them out ... It's just a question of making sure that they're able to do it over the next few days."
The "vast bulk" of embassy staff and officials had already left Afghanistan, Mr Johnson said.
READ MORE: The West flees as Kabul falls to the Taliban
04:34 AM
New Zealand PM calls for human rights to be upheld
New Zealand's Prime Minister today implored Taliban leaders to uphold human rights in Afghanistan by allowing women to continue in work and education and to let foreigners and Afghans who want to leave the country go.
"I would just again implore those who made these moves in recent days to acknowledge what the international community has called for - human rights and the safety of their people," Jacinda Ardern said.
"What we want to see is women and girls being able to access work and education. These are things that have traditionally not been available to them where there has been governance by Taliban."
03:54 AM
South Korean embassy staff moved to safety
South Korea's Foreign Ministry has "temporarily closed" its embassy in Kabul and evacuated most of its staff to an unspecified third country in the Middle East.
The ministry said a few diplomats, including Ambassador Choi Taeho, remain at a safe location in Afghanistan to support the evacuation of a South Korean national in the country and that the Seoul government is working closely with the United States and other countries to ensure their safe evacuation.
Afghanistan has been on South Korea's travel ban list since 2007.
There were reportedly around five South Koreans living in Afghanistan before the Seoul Government in June called for all to leave the country within 10 days as the United States and NATO proceeded with troop pullouts.
03:27 AM
New Zealand to evacuate citizens
New Zealand will deploy personnel and a military plane to help evacuate its citizens and some Afghan nationals who worked with New Zealand agencies, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
About 37 Afghan nationals have been identified to have worked alongside the New Zealand Defence Forces, Ms Ardern said.
The prime minister said the government did not expect the situation in Afghanistan to deteriorate so fast.
03:20 AM
British Airways joins airlines avoiding Afghan airspace
Major airlines including British Airways are rerouting flights to avoid Afghanistan airspace.
United Airlines, BA and Virgin Atlantic said they were not using the country's airspace.
Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed few commercial flights over Afghanistan at 0300 GMT on Monday but many planes overflying neighbouring Pakistan and Iran.
Airlines and governments have paid more attention to the risks of flying over conflict zones in recent years after two deadly incidents involving surface-to-air missiles.
The US Federal Aviation Administration in July imposed new flight restrictions over Afghanistan for American airlines and other operators.
The FAA said flights operating below 26,000 feet were prohibited in the Kabul Flight Information Region, which largely covers Afghanistan, unless operating in and out of Hamid Karzai International Airport, because of the risk "posed by extremist/militant activity".
The restrictions do not apply to US military operations.
Other countries including Canada, Britain, Germany and France had also advised airlines to maintain an altitude of at least 25,000 feet over Afghanistan, according to website Safe Airspace, which tracks such warnings.
Commercial flights set to land in Afghanistan have also been affected by the chaos on the ground. Emirates has suspended flights to Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, until further notice.
03:08 AM
Update from Afghanistan amid chaos
03:00 AM
Emirates cuts Afghanistan flights
Emirates has suspended flights to Afghanistan's capital Kabul until further notice, the airline said on its website after the Taliban militant group entered the city.
"Customers holding tickets with final destination to Kabul will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin," it said.
Fellow Dubai state-owned carrier Flydubai earlier has also suspended flights to Kabul.
02:57 AM
'We want all foreign forces to leave'
A Taliban leader said on Monday that it was too soon to say how the insurgent group will take over governance in Afghanistan.
"We want all foreign forces to leave before we start restructuring governance," the leader told Reuters by phone. He did not want to be named.
He also said that Taliban fighters in Kabul had been warned not to scare civilians and to allow them to resume normal activities.
02:57 AM
Latest news from Afghanistan...
It took the Taliban just over a week to seize control of Afghanistan after a lightning sweep
Western nations have stepped up efforts to evacuate their citizens from Kabul
The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan was over after insurgents took control of the presidential palace in Kabul
President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as the Islamist militants entered the city, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed
Mohammad Naeem, the spokesman for the Taliban's political office, said the form of the new regime in Afghanistan would be made clear soon
Hundreds of Afghans invaded Kabul airport's runways in the dark, pulling luggage and jostling for a place on one of the last commercial flights to leave the country
More than 60 western countries, including the United States, Britain, France and Japan, issued a joint statement saying all Afghans and international citizens who wanted to leave the country must be allowed to depart
02:23 AM
Airline reroutes flights to avoid Afghan airspace
United Airlines is rerouting some flights to avoid Afghanistan airspace as US-led forces departed and Western nations scrambled on Monday to evacuate their citizens.
"Due to the dynamic nature of the situation we have begun routing affected flights around Afghanistan airspace," a United spokeswoman said.
The changes impact several of United's US to India flights. The US Federal Aviation Administration in July imposed new flight restrictions over Afghanistan for US airlines and other American operators.
02:14 AM
Airport perimeter secured by US military
The US State Department has announced that all American embassy personnel in Kabul have been safely evacuated and are now located on the premises at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
State Department spokesman Ned Price in a statement added that Kabul airport's "perimeter is secured by the US military".
01:32 AM
'Thanks to God, the war is over in the country'
The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan was over after insurgents took control of the presidential palace in Kabul as US-led forces departed and Western nations scrambled on Monday to evacuate their citizens.
President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as the Islamist militants entered the city, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed, while hundreds of Afghans desperate to leave flooded Kabul airport.
"Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen. They have witnessed the fruits of their efforts and their sacrifices for 20 years," Mohammad Naeem, the spokesman for the Taliban's political office, told Al Jazeera TV.
"Thanks to God, the war is over in the country."
Naeem said the type and form of the new regime in Afghanistan would be made clear soon, adding the Taliban did not want to live in isolation and calling for peaceful international relations.
"We have reached what we were seeking, which is the freedom of our country and the independence of our people," he said.
"We will not allow anyone to use our lands to target anyone, and we do not want to harm others."
01:10 AM
Those who 'wish to depart must be allowed'
"The United States joins the international community in affirming that Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so," Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote on Twitter as the State Department released a statement signed by its close allies.
01:01 AM
'Afghan people deserve to live in safety, security and dignity'
More than 60 countries issued a joint statement saying Afghans and international citizens who want to leave Afghanistan must be allowed to depart and added airports and border crossings must remain open, the US State Department said late on Sunday.
The US government and countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Qatar and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement that "those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan bear responsibility - and accountability - for the protection of human life and property, and for the immediate restoration of security and civil order".
It added that the Afghan people deserve to live in safety, security and dignity: "We in the international community stand ready to assist them."
It comes as footage emerged of people flocking onto the tarmac of Kabul's airport in a desperate attempt to escape (watch below):
Other countries signing the joint statement include Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and Yemen as well as the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, the State Department said.
12:45 AM
'We will accelerate the evacuation of thousands'
Joint statement from the United States' Department of State and Department of Defence:
Over the next 48 hours, we will have expanded our security presence to nearly 6,000 troops, with a mission focused solely on facilitating these efforts and will be taking over air traffic control.
Tomorrow and over the coming days, we will be transferring out of the country thousands of American citizens who have been resident in Afghanistan, as well as locally employed staff of the US mission in Kabul and their families and other particularly vulnerable Afghan nationals.
And we will accelerate the evacuation of thousands of Afghans eligible for US Special Immigrant Visas, nearly 2,000 of whom have already arrived in the United States over the past two weeks.
For all categories, Afghans who have cleared security screening will continue to be transferred directly to the United States.
And we will find additional locations for those yet to be screened.
12:24 AM
American embassy lowers its flag
The United States has lowered the flag on its embassy in Kabul and relocated almost all staff to the airport, where US forces are taking over air control, officials said.
"At present we are completing a series of steps to secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport to enable the safe departure of US and allied personnel from Afghanistan via civilian and military flights," the Pentagon and State Department said in a joint statement.
"Almost all" personnel from the embassy have relocated to the airport including the acting ambassador, Ross Wilson, who is in touch with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a State Department spokesperson said.
"The American flag has been lowered from the US embassy compound and is now securely located with embassy staff," the spokesperson said.
12:08 AM
Donald Trump tells Joe Biden to quit
Donald Trump has stepped up his attack on his successor in a fundraising email to supporters.
“It is time for Joe Biden to resign in disgrace for what he has allowed to happen to Afghanistan, along with the tremendous surge in Covid, the border catastrophe, the destruction of energy independence, and our crippled economy,” he wrote.
“It shouldn’t be a big deal, because he wasn’t elected legitimately in the first place!”
Earlier in the day, Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy lashed out at the administration, calling its handling of the crisis an “embarrassment”.
Arkansas Republican senator Tom Cotton maintained an onslaught on Twitter describing Mr Biden as pathetic and accusing him of hiding.
12:06 AM
Fighters gathered strength and moved quickly
For years, the US sought an exit from Afghanistan. Then-President Donald Trump signed a deal with the Taliban in February 2020 that limited direct military action against the insurgents.
That allowed the fighters to gather strength and move quickly to seize key areas when President Joe Biden announced his plans to withdraw all American forces by the end of this month.
After the insurgents entered Kabul, Taliban negotiators discussed a transfer of power, said an Afghan official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the closed-door negotiations, described them as "tense".
It remained unclear when that transfer would take place and who among the Taliban was negotiating. The negotiators on the government side included former President Hamid Karzai.
Mr Karzai appeared in a video posted online, his three young daughters around him, saying he remained in Kabul.
"We are trying to solve the issue of Afghanistan with the Taliban leadership peacefully," he said.
12:01 AM
US could face a rise in terrorist threats
America's top general said on Sunday that the United States could now face a rise in terrorist threats from a Taliban-run Afghanistan.
That warning comes as intelligence agencies charged with anticipating those threats face new questions after the US-backed Afghan military collapsed with shocking speed.
General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told senators on a briefing call on Sunday that US officials are expected to alter their earlier assessments about the pace of terrorist groups reconstituting in Afghanistan, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Based on the evolving situation, officials now believe terror groups like al-Qaeda may be able to grow much faster than expected, according to the person, who had direct knowledge of the briefing but was not authorised to discuss the details of the call publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
The Biden administration officials on the call with senators - among them General Milley, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin - said US intelligence agencies are working on forming a new timeline based on the evolving threats, the person familiar with the matter said.
11:50 PM
What other countries have planned...
European nations, including France, Germany and the Netherlands, said they were working to get citizens as well as some Afghan employees out of Afghanistan.
Russia said it saw no need to evacuate its embassy for the time being.
Turkey said its embassy would continue operations.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the Taliban and all other parties to exercise the utmost restraint, and expressed particular concern about the future of women and girls in Afghanistan.
11:48 PM
US expects to evacuate 5,000 people a day
The Pentagon has authorised another 1,000 troops to help evacuate American citizens and Afghans who worked for them, a US official said.
A senior US defence official told Reuters on Sunday evening in Washington that about 500 people, mostly Americans, had been evacuated, and that the number would rise to 5,000 a day when all planned US forces were in Kabul.
11:45 PM
Fears of a return to sharia
Many Afghans fear the Taliban will return to past harsh practices in their imposition of sharia, or Islamic religious law.
During their 1996-2001 rule, women could not work and punishments such as stoning, whipping and hanging were administered.
The militants sought to project a more moderate face, promising to respect women's rights and protect both foreigners and Afghans.
11:44 PM
Explosions heard in Kabul
A source at Kabul airport said some scuffles broke out among people scrambling to get out but unable to get a place as departures were halted.
Local television 1TV reported that multiple explosions were heard in the capital after dark, but the city was largely quiet during the day on Sunday.
Aid group Emergency said 80 wounded people had been brought to its hospital in Kabul, which was at capacity, and that it was only admitting people with life-threatening injuries.
11:41 PM
British scepticism over Taliban seeking peaceful takeover
The speed of the Taliban advance suggests that there may only be a short window of a few days to get people out.
In a sign of the desperate situation, Sir Laurie Bristow, the British ambassador, was said to be helping the small team of diplomats still in the country to process the applications of those hoping to leave.
There was particular concern for the safety of Afghans who worked with British forces when they were in the country as interpreters and other roles amid fears of reprisals if they fall into the hands of the insurgents.
The Taliban insisted that they were seeking a peaceful takeover of power and were prepared to offer an amnesty to those who had worked with the Afghan government or with foreign governments.
However those assurances were being treated with deep scepticism by many British MPs amid reports of threats to those who remain and their families.
11:38 PM
Comment: The West has gone too far to avert tragedy
Taliban reconquest was inevitable as soon as Western forces announced their departure by the symbolic date of September 11:
The Taliban’s reconquest of Afghanistan should not have come as a great shock to Western strategists, though its rapidity has caused surprise.
The advance of the insurgents over the past fortnight has been extraordinary as the Afghan army and security forces, trained by the US-led Nato coalition over two decades, collapsed.
The fall of Jalalabad left all roads connecting Afghanistan to Pakistan in the hands of the Taliban.
Then insurgents seized control of the capital Kabul.
Thousands of middle-class Afghans who have not already left the country are seeking to get out, but their fate is no longer in their hands.
Read the Telegraph View piece in full here.
11:18 PM
Race is on to get Britons out of Afghanistan
British troops are racing against the clock to get remaining UK nationals and their local allies out of Afghanistan following the dramatic fall of the country's Western-backed government to the Taliban.
Lead elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade were working with US forces to secure Kabul airport to ensure flights can continue as Afghans and foreigners alike scramble to leave.
While the airport has so far not come under attack, there are fears that could change quickly with Taliban insurgents now effectively in control of the capital.
Following a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee, Boris Johnson said his priority was to get UK nationals and Afghans who had worked with them out of the country "as fast as we can".
"We are going to get as many as we can out in the next few days," the Prime Minister said.
Around 4,000 British nationals and eligible Afghans are thought to be in the city and in need of evacuation.
11:10 PM
Today's top stories
The Taliban on Sunday night completed a lightning takeover of Afghanistan as thousands of Britons and Americans scrambled to flee the country
On Saturday morning, Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani sounded a note of defiance to the Taliban. He said he was remobilising the army and vowed he would never give up the gains of the past 20 years. About 24 hours later, it was all over
Boris Johnson has refused to say how many Afghan refugees the UK might take, as he came under pressure from leading Tories to open the doors to people fleeing the Taliban
Joe Biden is facing the worst crisis of his presidency as his plans for an orderly US withdrawal from Afghanistan crumbled
Taliban fighters have posed next to US-made Black Hawk helicopters and other aircraft seized from Afghanistan's military as the insurgents boasted of their rapid takeover of the country
Dominic Raab was accused of being “missing in action” as it emerged he was abroad on holiday when the Afghanistan capital of Kabul fell to the Taliban
