Last Updated on August 15, 2021
The Taliban has stormed the Afghani capital of Kabul on Sunday, forcing President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country and U.S. embassy officials to evacuate as Democrat President Joe Biden – who there was “no circumstance” under which such events would occur because they were “highly unlikely” – continues to avoid having to answer questions from the media about the unfolding situation.
The Associated Press has reported that “The Taliban entered the capital earlier in the day, and an official with the militant group said it would soon announce the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace — a return rich in symbolism to the name of the country under the Taliban government ousted by U.S.-led forces after the 9/11 attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.”
“The former president of Afghanistan left Afghanistan, leaving the country in this difficult situation,” Afghan National Reconciliation Council head Abdullah Abdullah stated. “God should hold him accountable.”
The official White House Twitter account put out a statement Sunday afternoon after news of the Taliban’s entrance into Kabul that read, “This morning, the President and Vice President met with their national security team and senior officials to hear updates on the draw down of our civilian personnel in Afghanistan, evacuations of SIV applicants and other Afghan allies, and the ongoing security situation in Kabul.” The post was accompanied by a photo of a confused looking Biden staring at a television screen.
This morning, the President and Vice President met with their national security team and senior officials to hear updates on the draw down of our civilian personnel in Afghanistan, evacuations of SIV applicants and other Afghan allies, and the ongoing security situation in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/U7IpK3Hyj8
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 15, 2021
On July 8, Biden had proclaimed, “There’s going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy in the—of the United States from Afghanistan….The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.”
Biden, July 8: "There’s going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy in the—of the United States from Afghanistan….The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely." pic.twitter.com/VO17x0wKi9
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) August 15, 2021
Kabul is widely expected to under Taliban control by the end of the day.
