'Will not bow to Taliban,' claims Afghanistan VP Amrullah Saleh after govt surrenders

In a major development, Afghanistan's first Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Sunday, August 15, said that he will not bow in front of the Taliban under any circumstances. His remarks come amid negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban for a peaceful transfer of power after the insurgents surrounded Kabul.

Taking to the micro-blogging site, Saleh said, "I will never, ever & under no circumstances bow to d Talib terrorists. I will never betray d soul & legacy of my hero Ahmad Shah Masoud, the commander, the legend & the guide. I won't dis-appoint millions who listened to me. I will never be under one ceiling with Taliban. NEVER."

This comes even as Saleh's current location is unknown, with the latest reports claiming he's fled Kabul along with President Ashraf Ghani. Ghani is said to have escaped to Tajikistan.

According to reports, the Taliban has entered the capital Kabul from all sides. However, the extremists had said earlier that they would not enter the city forcefully as talks are underway for a peaceful transfer of power.

"The Taliban instructs all its forces to stand at the gates of Kabul, not to try to enter the city. Till the completion of the transition process, the security of Kabul city must be maintained. We do not intend to take revenge on anyone, all those who have served in military and civilian sectors in the Kabul administration are forgiven and safe," stated the Taliban.

Meanwhile, Russia is working with other nations to hold an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting on the war-stricken country, Russian official Zamir Kabulov said. Russia, along with the United States, China, Britain and France are the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Air India flight takes off from Kabul

Air India's last commercial flight AI-244, took off from Kabul on Sunday evening carrying 129 passengers, ANI reported. They are expected to arrive in New Delhi tonight. Before its landing in the Afghan capital, the flight had to hover in the sky for an hour ere getting clearance.

Meanwhile, Air India has confirmed that it has not cancelled its upcoming flights to Kabul as of now, "We are monitoring the situation and as of now continuing with our scheduled flights to Kabul," an Air India spokesperson said.