Summary for Tuesday, 8th September
The Taliban have just announced they are forming an interim government and named Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund as acting prime minister.
A number of other appointments have also been confirmed such as the prime minister’s deputies and foreign minister.
The Taliban took control of the country more than three weeks ago. The announcement of the acting cabinet is a key step in the formation of a Taliban government.
Earlier today the group fired warning shots in Kabul to disperse hundreds of protesters, many of them women.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest developments from the country.
Meanwhile, as we've been reporting, the Taliban have fired warning shots to disperse the crowd at a large protest in Kabul.
Video footage from the scene shows people running to safety, while heavy gunfire can be heard in the background.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets on Tuesday to denounce Taliban rule and demand women's rights.
You can read our latest report on the Kabul protest here.
Here are the roles that have been announced so far:
Reports have emerged over the past several days that up to 1,000 people, including some US citizens, have been stuck at the airport in Mazar-i-Sharif for days awaiting clearance for their flights to depart.
Speaking in Qatar, Blinken said the US was not aware of anyone being held on an aircraft in Mazar-i-Sharif or in any hostage-like situation, as he put it.
He said the militants had assured Washington that they would allow those with the right documents to be evacuated from Afghanistan.
However, he did accept that some people who lacked the necessary travel documentation had been prevented from departing.
"It's my understanding that the Taliban has not denied exit to anyone holding a valid document, but they have said those without valid documents, at this point, can't leave," Blinken said.
It follows complaints by some non-governmental organisations and opposition Republican lawmakers in the US that the Biden administration was not doing enough to help people leave the country.
- The Taliban have announced a new interim government for the country and declared it an "Islamic Emirate"
- The group's supreme commander Hibatullah Akhundzada urges ministers to uphold Sharia law in Afghanistan
- The cabinet includes several figures who fought against the US-led invasion from 2001
- Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, one of the movement's founders, is acting prime minister
- Sarajuddin Haqqani, named as interior minister, is leader of the feared Haqqani militant network and wanted by the FBI
- No women's affairs minister has been announced, and there are no women named in the interim cabinet
- The Taliban took control of Afghanistan more than three weeks ago, following the collapse of the Western-backed government
- Earlier on Tuesday the Taliban fired shots to disperse a protest denouncing their rule in Kabul
Welcome to our coverage
Welcome back to our live coverage of the situation in Afghanistan.The Taliban have just announced they are forming an interim government and named Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund as acting prime minister.
A number of other appointments have also been confirmed such as the prime minister’s deputies and foreign minister.
The Taliban took control of the country more than three weeks ago. The announcement of the acting cabinet is a key step in the formation of a Taliban government.
Earlier today the group fired warning shots in Kabul to disperse hundreds of protesters, many of them women.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest developments from the country.
Taliban fire warning shots at protest in Kabul
We'll have more on the Taliban's announcement of an interim government shortly.Meanwhile, as we've been reporting, the Taliban have fired warning shots to disperse the crowd at a large protest in Kabul.
Video footage from the scene shows people running to safety, while heavy gunfire can be heard in the background.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets on Tuesday to denounce Taliban rule and demand women's rights.
You can read our latest report on the Kabul protest here.
Who is in the new government?
The Taliban have announced their new interim government for Afghanistan.Here are the roles that have been announced so far:
- Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, an associate of the movement's late founder Mullah Omar, is to lead the government as acting prime minister
- Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar will be deputy leader
- Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, who has overseen the group's military operations in Afghanistan, has been named defence minister
- Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network - designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States - will be the new interior minister
- Abas Stanikzai will be deputy foreign minister
Blinken denies Americans being prevented from leaving Afghanistan
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has denied reports that the Taliban have prevented several hundred people - including Americans - from flying out of an airport in northern Afghanistan.Reports have emerged over the past several days that up to 1,000 people, including some US citizens, have been stuck at the airport in Mazar-i-Sharif for days awaiting clearance for their flights to depart.
Speaking in Qatar, Blinken said the US was not aware of anyone being held on an aircraft in Mazar-i-Sharif or in any hostage-like situation, as he put it.
He said the militants had assured Washington that they would allow those with the right documents to be evacuated from Afghanistan.
However, he did accept that some people who lacked the necessary travel documentation had been prevented from departing.
"It's my understanding that the Taliban has not denied exit to anyone holding a valid document, but they have said those without valid documents, at this point, can't leave," Blinken said.
It follows complaints by some non-governmental organisations and opposition Republican lawmakers in the US that the Biden administration was not doing enough to help people leave the country.