Taliban Fighters Enter Afghanistan Capital Kabul: Report

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

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 assualt.

It should be noted that earlier today (15 August), the Taliban captured Jalalabad, the last major city outside of Kabul held by the country's increasingly isolated central government.

With this, the Taliban had moved closer to retaking full control of Afghanistan as it left the country's central government in control of just Kabul and seven other provincial capitals out of 34.

The US Embassy has urged its citizens to leave the country while scaling back its presence. The US has rushed 5,000 troops to secure the airport and help evacuate American diplomatic personnel as the Taliban closed in on the city.

Overnight, the near constant buzz of helicopters hung over central Kabul as the Green Zone that contained much of the foreign presence emptied out. Many embassies have closed or relocated to the military base in the airport.

With IANS Inputs