Kabul: The Taliban on Sunday have reportedly entered the Afghan capital of Kabul after overrunning much of the war-torn country in recent days, according to media reports.
The development comes as Taliban have captured Jalalabad, the last major city in the north of the country, without a struggle, the BBC reported.
With reports of the Taliban closing in, the tension in Kabul is rising.
A BBC producer based there said he was suddenly evacuated from a government office a short time ago.
Photographs on social media appear to show some residents gathering outside banks, foreign embassies, and in visa processing offices.
Matin Bek, a senior Afghan government aide, has tweeted to try and reassure residents.
The BBC said there is a rush on banks in Kabul as Afghans try to gather means to escape
The Taliban took the eastern city of Jalalabad on Sunday, leaving the jittery Afghan capital isolated as the country’s only big urban area in government hands, the Wall Street Journal reported.
On Sunday morning, long lines formed outside banks and the few functioning ATMs in Kabul as residents, fearful that the capital may fall to the Taliban, too, rushed to withdraw their cash.
People also rushed to Kabul’s airport, preparing to flee the country amid the unabated Taliban assault.
The US Embassy has urged its citizens to leave the country while scaling back its presence.
Kalinga AI