Members of Taliban forces sit at a security tower of the interior ministry in Kabul, Afghanistan August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

Ben Burke Producer

International

Taliban take control, look to improve image to fearful Afghans

Aug 17, 2021

Ben Burke Producer

By Ben Burke (Producer)

In an attempt to improve its image compared to the last time they were in charge of Afghanistan, the Taliban announced Tuesday it will respect women’s rights and forgive those who opposed them.

In his first news conference Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said women’s rights would be honored within the norms of Islamic law. Few other details were given.

As for private media, Mujahid said the Taliban wanted journalists to “remain independent,” but said they “should not work against national values.”

This is a stark difference from the brutal rule the group laid down in the late 1990s, fueled by ultraconservative Islamic views. This included severe restrictions on women as well as public stonings and amputations.

While the Taliban pledged not to go after their enemies, some in Kabul say Taliban fighters have lists of people who cooperated with the Afghan government. The Taliban are accused of seeking out people on those lists.

A broadcaster in Afghanistan said she was hiding at a relative’s house, too frightened to return home or go to work following reports saying the Taliban are also looking for journalists. She said she and other women didn’t believe the Taliban had changed their ways.

The still-tense situation in Afghanistan comes as the Department of Defense said U.S. military commanders at the Kabul airport are in touch with Taliban leaders.

“[The commanders] are charged with making sure this is a safe and secure environment and we trust them to have the interactions they feel they need to have to ensure that in every aspect across the whole spectrum of what this mission requires of them, that they can do it safely and efficiently in an orderly manner,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Major General William “Hank” Taylor gave an update on the Kabul airport, a day after at least seven people died trying to escape the country via the airport.

“[The airport] remains secure, it is currently open for military flight operations as well as limited commercial flight operations,” Maj. Gen. Taylor said. “The speed of evacuation will pick up. Right now, we’re looking at one aircraft per hour in and out of [the airport]. We predict that our best effort could look like 5,000 to 9,000 passengers departing per day.”

Tags: Joe Biden, Middle East Crisis

John Kirby, Pentagon Press Secretary: “Our commanders in the operation have had communication with Taliban leaders.”

Maj. Gen. William “Hank” Taylor, Joint Staff Director of Current Operations: “HKIA remains secure, it is currently open for military flight operations as well as limited commercial flight operations. Throughout the night, nine C-17’s arrived delivering equipment and approximately 1000 troops. Additionally, seven C-17’s departed. These flights lifted approximately 700 to 800 passengers. And we can confirm 165 of these passengers are American citizens. The rest are a mix of SIV applicants, third country nationals.”

“We have had no hostile interactions, no attack and no threat by the Taliban. We remain vigilant. We also have not experienced any additional security incidents at HKIA. We retain the security of HKIA that enables the safe, orderly evacuation of Americans and Afghans.”

John Kirby, Pentagon Press Secretary: “Commanders there at the airport are charged with securing that airport and keeping it secure and to doing what is required to keep it secure and to get operations back up and running and to be sustained. And they will and should have whatever interactions they believe are necessary to accomplish that mission.”

Maj. Gen. William “Hank” Taylor, Joint Staff Director of Current Operations: “Responding to the situation at HKIA. Our initial focus was to insert forces and equipment. As part of the force. As part of this force will concludes, the speed of evacuation will pick up. Right now, we’re looking at one aircraft per hour in and out of HKIA. We predict that our best effort could look like 5000 to 9000 passengers departing per day.”

John Kirby, Pentagon Press Secretary: “There are interactions at the airport by our commanders with Taliban leaders out in town. As I said, they are charged with making sure this is a safe and secure environment and we trust them to have the interactions they feel they need to have to ensure that in every aspect across the whole spectrum of what this mission requires of them, that they can do it safely and efficiently in an orderly manner. And I’m not going to go beyond that.”

“The mission runs through August 31st, the commander in chief made it very clear that we were going to complete this drawdown by August 31st, which now includes the drawdown of American forces, you know, the pulling out of American citizens and drawdown of our embassy personnel. So that’s what we’re focused on. That’s the timeline we’re on. And as the secretary made clear to the leaders, even as recently as this morning, that time is of the essence. And we all we all share a sense of urgency here.”