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Developments in Afghanistan

Updated at:

Sanctions on Taliban will depend on their conduct — Biden

So far the Taliban has not taken action against US forces, US President said

US President Joe Biden AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

US President Joe Biden

© AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

WASHINGTON, August 23./TASS/. The decision on sanctions against the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) will depend on their conduct, US President Joe Biden said when he delivered remarks on Afghanistan at the White House on Sunday.

"The answer is yes. It depends on their conduct," the president said when asked whether he would support sanctions on the Taliban under certain conditions.

"So far the Taliban has not taken action against US forces," and so far they have "by and large followed through what they said" in terms of allowing Americans into the airport of Kabul for evacuation, Biden noted. "And so we’ll see. We’ll see whether or not what they say turns out to be true," he stressed.

Safe zone around the airport

The US has extended the safe zone around the airport, the Taliban have been cooperative in extending some of the perimeter, Biden said.

"We have made a number of changes, including extending access around the airport. The safe zone," Biden said. "They’ve been cooperative in extending some of the perimeter," the president said of the Taliban movement.

"We’ve changed the gate operations and a whole range of things, and that’s why we’ve been able to significantly increase the number of people we are getting out," the president stressed.

After the Biden administration had announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that under the constitution, he becomes "the caretaker president" in absence of president and called for armed resistance against the Taliban. At present, Western nations are evacuating their citizens and embassy staff.

After the Biden administration had announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that under the constitution, he becomes "the caretaker president" in absence of president and called for armed resistance against the Taliban. At present, Western nations are evacuating their citizens and embassy staff.

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Afghanistan Joseph Biden Power transfer in Afghanistan

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