Taleban "No Plans for Armed Occupation"... Government Pressure at Kabul Gateway

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Afghan armed rebel group Taliban announced on the 15th (local time) that it has no plans to seize the capital Kabul by force.

According to the AP News on the same day, the Taliban made this statement through a press release.

In this regard, AFP News cited a Taliban spokesperson saying that the Taliban instructed its members to wait at the gates of Kabul and not to enter.

A Taliban official said, "We do not want even a single innocent civilian to be killed or injured," but major foreign media reported that he also said, "That does not mean we will declare a ceasefire."

The Taliban, which has taken control of all regions of Afghanistan except Kabul, began advancing on Kabul from all directions on the same day.

Western countries, including the United States, have begun operations to withdraw embassy personnel from Kabul.

U.S. media are reporting observations from U.S. Department of Defense officials that the Taliban could seize Kabul by force within a few days.