<Anchor> The
Islamic militant group Taliban entered Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, today (15th). The Afghan government appears to have given up resistance and effectively surrendered, entering into negotiations to transfer power to the Taliban.
Reporter Jeong Hye-kyung reports.
<Reporter> When
the news that the Taliban's attack on Kabul was imminent, the road to the airport was lined with vehicles trying to escape.
[Abdullahab / Resident of Kabul, Afghanistan: People's lives have become difficult recently. I'm worried as I recall how the Taliban have treated us in the past.]
The Taliban's entry into the capital, which was initially expected to take dozens more days, took place today, just three days after the capture of the second and third cities.
After entering the outskirts of the capital Kabul on the afternoon of the 15th local time, the Taliban issued a statement and demanded surrender, saying they would not take the capital by force.
The United States, which sent an additional 3,000 troops to the evacuation of the locals who had previously cooperated with their own citizens, including embassy employees, started the full-scale withdrawal of embassy employees today.
Large helicopters were spotted over the U.S. embassy building, and smoke presumed to destroy classified documents and materials was also observed.
According to foreign media, the Afghan government has given up resistance and is now in negotiations to transfer power to the Taliban.
The Taliban started an offensive in early May, when the US began withdrawing its troops, and effectively took control of Afghanistan within three months.
In the United States, the Biden government's hasty decision to withdraw its troops has led to the collapse of the Afghan government, and sharp criticism is rising as "Afghanistan is Biden's Saigon."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that employees were still staying at the local embassy and were closely monitoring the situation.
(Video editing: Kim Jun-hee)