After nearly two decades of conflict in Afghanistan, the country's capital Kabul fell under the Taliban forces on Sunday, causing the U.S. troops to scramble to evacuate thousands of U.S. diplomats and Afghans from the U.S. Embassy.

As the Afghan government collapsed, USA Today reported that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has also left the country.

The Pentagon has allowed an additional 1,000 U.S. troops to be sent to Afghanistan to help with the evacuation efforts. On Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that additional 5,000 troops would be sent to Afghanistan to ensure safe evacuation.

One of the Taliban's most senior officials said the seizure of Kabul was an unrivaled feat. The official added that the real test of governing effectively would begin now that it had power, The Guardian reported.

Afghanistan's Washington-supported president, Ghani, said that what he did was a hard choice. However, he decided to leave to prevent bloodshed.

The Taliban has released a statement saying that they are now working to restore law and order in the country.

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U.S.-Afghanistan War

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was not Saigon. He added that they went to Afghanistan 20 years ago with a mission to deal with the people responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Blinken noted that the U.S. was successful in that mission, NPR reported.

The U.S. Embassy warned that Kabul's airport was "taking fire," and advised U.S. citizens to take shelter. The 20-year-long war was prompted by the Taliban's refusal to give up Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks.

Blinken acknowledged that the seizure of Kabul happened more quickly than they anticipated. Former NATO supreme allied commander, Ret. Adm. James Stavridis, echoed the same sentiment.

Stavridis said one could buy all the equipment in the world, but they cannot buy leadership or political will. He added that the ghosting of the Afghan army was heartbreaking.

According to Associated Press, Brown University's Costs of War Project estimated that more than 2,400 U.S. troops and around 3,800 American contractors had lost their lives during the war.

On the other hand, around 66,000 Afghan national military and police have also lost their lives, with 47,246 Afghan civilians were reported casualties. Taliban and other opposition fighters had an estimated number of casualties at 51,191.

Meanwhile, as NPR reported, many Afghans were waiting in long lines to withdraw money as they worry about what might happen to their savings under the Taliban.

One resident said they are thieves, robbers, and looters trying to loot cars. She added that there are gunshots everywhere.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that he and Abdullah Abdullah were forming a coordinating council to stop the chaos and reduce the people's suffering while managing affairs related to peace.

The head of the Hezb-i-Islami party and former warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar are involved in the coordinating council efforts.

READ MORE: Former Pres. George W. Bush Says Withdrawal of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Is a Mistake

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

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