The Taliban have warned there would be consequences if the US and its allies extend their presence in Afghanistan beyond the August 31 deadline, as chaos continued to overwhelm Kabul airport. The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, on August 15, shocked Western nations and indeed the world, coming just two weeks before the deadline for all troops to fully withdraw from the country. Taliban’s statement came a day after US President Joe Biden said he still hopes to complete the heartbreaking evacuation from Afghanistan by the end of the month. Meanwhile, Britain said Monday, it would urge the US to extend the August 31 deadline for evacuations from Afghanistan. However, the Taliban, who have so far sought to strike a more moderate tone, showed no willingness to compromise on the US pullout. Also, as the US and others navigate the thorny domestic and international politics of meeting an Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline from Afghanistan, and as Taliban leaders keep the world guessing about how they intend to govern, Afghans are enduring a terrifying transitional period: Hundreds of thousands of people fear for their lives, feeding families is becoming more difficult and countless people are afraid to appear in public.
The people of Afghanistan have been largely powerless, as the leaders sort their fates. And they are increasingly living through brutal conditions, whether or not they are desperately trying to escape. Residents are struggling to lead their daily lives in an economy that, propped up for the past generation by American aid, is now in free fall. Banks are closed. Cash is growing scarce, and food prices are rising. Fuel is becoming harder to find. Government services have stalled as civil servants avoid work, fearing retribution by the Taliban. Despite the Taliban’s efforts to reassure Afghans that they will ensure people’s safety, signals that they will maintain the brutal tactics of their previous rule have added up. On Tuesday, the United Nations’ top human rights official cited “harrowing and credible” reports that the Taliban had executed civilian and noncombatant soldiers.
A Taliban spokesman said that women should not leave their homes because militants had not yet been trained to refrain from harming them. The spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, called it a temporary policy intended to protect women, until the Taliban could ensure their safety. Meanwhile, there are speculations that the Taliban have imposed some restrictions on women. According to Afghanistan Women’s Revolutionary Association, RAWA, among other restrictions, Afghan women have been completely prohibited to work outside their homes. Only a few doctors and nurses will be allowed to work in some hospitals in Kabul. Also, complete prohibition of any type of activity of women outside the home, unless accompanied by their Mahram, that is, close male relative, such as father, brother or husband .
