On August 15, the Taliban entered the outskirts of the Afghan capital, the only major city left in government hands, and vowed not to take it by force, as talks with senior officials were said to be under way on a peaceful transfer of power.
Kabul Residents Watch Nervously As Taliban Surrounds Afghan Capital
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Taliban fighters sit on a vehicle along the street in Jalalabad. The eastern city fell to the militants early on August 15, reportedly with no resistance.
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An Afghan soldier stands in a military vehicle on a street in Kabul. Taliban militants were seen on the outskirts of the capital on August 15, even as the government called for calm.
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A U.S. Chinook helicopter flies near the embassy in Kabul. The United States started the withdrawal of its diplomats on August 15, as U.S. troops began arriving in Kabul to protect the evacuation operation and keep control of the airport.
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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (in mask) arrives in Mazar-e Sharif to inspect the security situation of the northern provinces on August 11. By August 14, the city had fallen with minimum fighting to the Taliban. Ghani left Kabul for Tajikistan on August 15.
