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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Afghans walk toward the airport in Kabul. There are reports of huge traffic jams on the road to the airport, as people look to leave before the Taliban takes the city.
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People arriving from Afghanistan make their way at the Friendship Gate crossing point at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Chaman, on August 15. Pakistan has said it is not prepared to absorb another wave of Afghans fleeing the conflict, as it has in the past.
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Afghans wait in front of Kabul Bank in long lines for hours to try to withdraw money.
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Taliban fighters drive an Afghan National Army vehicle through the streets of the eastern Laghman Province on August 15. Tens of thousands of Afghans have fled their homes, many fearing a return to the Taliban's oppressive rule.
