Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani to be new Afghan President

SRINAGAR, AUG 15: Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will become the new president, as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani tenders his resignation as the government surrenders to Taliban forces in Kabul, Times Now reported.

Afghan Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal earlier announced on Sunday that there would be a “peaceful transfer of power” to the interim government in Afghanistan. The announcement follows a statement from the Afghan Taliban saying they would not enter the federal capital, Kabul, until the transfer of power.

“The Afghan people need not worry,” the interior minister said in a pre-recorded statement. The city will not be attacked and power will be peacefully transferred to the interim government.

A Taliban spokesman says Taliban fighters will not enter the capital, Kabul, and have been told to wait at the city’s entrances. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement posted in his tweet that “the Islamic Emirate has instructed all its fighters to stop at the entrances to Kabul and not try to enter the city.”

A Taliban spokesman said in a statement that “our fighters are not entering the city and we want a peaceful transfer of power.” The statement, issued in Pashto, announced a general amnesty and assured everyone that no retaliation would be taken against anyone. (PTK)