Punjab CM opines Afghan's capture by Taliban will strengthen Pak-China nexus against India

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday warned that Afghanistan's fall to the Taliban 'won't augur well' for India. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the Congress leader opined that the change of power in the war-torn country would strengthen the Pakistan-China nexus against India. Citing that China has already sought military help on Uyghurs, he underlined that the 'signs' do not look good, and there's was a need for India to stay 'extra vigilant'. 

Afghan govt surrenders to Taliban

After a stunning 2-week capitulation, the Afghan government on Sunday finally surrendered to the Taliban forces which breached capital Kabul. Soon after, local media reported that President Ashraf Ghani was to tender his resignation and that an interim government led by the Taliban had been announced. The new Afghanistan government will reportedly be led by top Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. 

The development came after the fall of Mazar-e-Sharif - a heavily defended city late on Saturday and the fall of Jalalabad on Sunday morning. With control over Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad, the Taliban confined the Ashraf Ghani-led government to the center and east, and given this major leverage, the nation failed to protect its capital. The militant group took over all border posts leading to Kabul, leaving only Kabul airport as the remaining exit from the war-torn nation.

Taliban enters Kabul as Ghani flees Afghanistan

The Taliban then issued a statement saying that they have no plans to take the Afghan capital by force, following which the Afghan government, via its interim interior minister said that there would be no fighting and that a peaceful transfer of power was being worked out, confirming that the government had surrendered.

However, while the points for a peaceful transfer of power were still being worked out, taking a U-turn on its 'no forceful entry' statement, the Taliban on Sunday evening entered the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul.  In a fresh statement to that effect, the spokesperson of the military group which is now operating as the 'Islamic Emirate', Zabihullah Mujahid, justified its step by saying that the security forces and government officials had left the war-torn country, and in a bid to prevent chaos, they were making their way to its various 'evacuated' districts.