Taliban Announces “Amnesty,” Encourages Women To Join Govt

The Taliban has declared an “amnesty” across Afghanistan and urged women to join its government in a bid to calm gangled nerves across the capital city Kabul, following dramatic scenes at the airport on Monday.

There were chaotic scenes in Kabul as thousands mobbed the city’s international airport in a desperate attempt to flee the country.

Evacuation flights from Afghanistan resumed as a Western security official told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday that the Kabul airport’s tarmac and runway, which troops from the United States control, were now clear of crowds.

The official said military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians from Afghanistan have started taking off.

At least seven people died in Monday’s chaos, including several people who clung to the sides of a jet as it took off.

The Taliban has declared the war in Afghanistan over and a senior leader said the group would wait until foreign forces had left before creating a new governance structure.

China said it was ready for “friendly relations” with the Taliban, while Russia and Iran also made diplomatic overtures.