The Taliban consolidate control of the Afghan capital; Thousands of people remain stranded



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The Taliban tightened control of the Afghan capital on Tuesday as many shops reopened, traffic police returned to their posts and a senior Islamist movement official arrived for contacts with political leaders affiliated with the fallen afghan republic.

Thousands of Afghans employed by Western embassies in Kabul remained stranded in the city, unable to enter the airport for evacuation flights. Military flights resumed as the United States sent additional troops to secure the airport, but access remained difficult as the Taliban erected checkpoints at the entrances, turning people back. As a result, some evacuation flights were leaving almost empty.

Later Tuesday, a White House official said on Tuesday that Hamid Karzai International Airport was open and flights could land and depart, including on the civilian side.

Taliban agents continued to search the offices and homes of Afghans affiliated with Western governments and organizations, gathering evidence. At new checkpoints that have sprung up in the city, they inspected residents’ smartphones for illegal content and communications in English.

In Kabul, the Taliban, who proclaimed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan when they first seized the country in 1996, have so far refrained from the kind of sweeping actions that have led to global condemnation. in the past. They granted amnesty to government officials and allowed female presenters on TV stations on Tuesday.

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