Taliban LIVE: Regime sets up civilian executions but makes bizarre climate change pitch

Published date25 August 2021
Publication titleExpress, The/The Express on Sunday: Web Edition Articles (London, England)
Meanwhile, the Taliban is facing economic disaster as the World Bank cuts off billions of dollars heading for Afghanistan.

The World Bank is “deeply concerned” about the new Taliban leadership in the country, according to a spokesperson, particularly the impact this regime could have on women and girls.

The international development organisation plans to monitor the actions of the Taliban and work together with the international community to decide the next step.

The World Bank had promised more than $5.3billion for development projects in Afghanistan since 2002 and has raised nearly $13billion for the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund.

The bank had also already committed nearly $800million to the country in 2021 alone.

The decision follows a move by the International Monetary Fund last week to freeze the distribution of more than $400million in emergency currency reserves that were intended to go to Afghanistan.

The IMF said the reason for withholding the money was due to concerns about the legitimacy of a Taliban-led government.

Afghanistan’s potential financial ruin comes as the humanitarian crisis heightens, with Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid demanding Afghan nationals stop trying to leave the country.

Mr Mujahid also ruled out any possibility of a withdrawal deadline extension which is set for August 31.

READ MORE: Afghanistan: The women helping to save the girls left behind

The Taliban has warned there will be “consequences” for foreign troops who remain in Afghanistan past this date.

As the airlift deadline looms, Afghanistan’s neighbours should open their land borders to allow more people to leave, a NATO country diplomat said.

Despite insisting they pose “no danger and no risk”, there have been multiple credible reports of serious human rights violations committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan including "summary executions" of civilians and Afghan security forces who have surrendered, according to UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet.

Independent UN human rights experts, in a joint statement, said that many people were in hiding as "the Taliban continues to search homes door-to-door" and that seizures of property and reprisals were being reported.

Women and religious minorities are believed to be the most at risk from the hard-line Islamist regime.

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12:25 19,000 more vulnerable people evacuated from Afghanistan yesterday

The White House has revealed US and coalition forces airlifted around 19,000 people from Afghanistan yesterday.

This brings the total number airlifted out of Kabul since the day before the Taliban declared victory, 14 August, to 82,300.

It comes as a race to evacuate thousands speeds up ahead of the US withdrawal deadline of 31 August.

The Taliban yesterday rejected any possibility of an extended deadline and warned America to stop "encouraging" highly skilled Afghan nationals to leave the country.

12:17 Amnesty International warns women's rights are at riskAmnesty International...

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