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Western countries have been flying citizens and Afghans out of Kabul since it was seized by the Taliban. AFP
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A man waves Afghanistan's national flag in Kabul, as the country marks its 102nd Independence Day on Thursday, August 20. This commemorates the country regaining full independence from British influence in 1919. AFP
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Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul. AP Photo
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Afghans pass by the poster of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani who fled the country after Taliban took over, as they celebrate the Independence Day in Kabul. EPA
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Cars and crowds are seen near the airport in Kabul. Reuters
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People gather round the scene of a shooting outside Kabul airport, while others move away from the incident. Reuters
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A Taliban fighter sitting on a vehicle guards the route of an Ashura procession in western city Herat. AFP
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British and dual nationality citizens living in Afghanistan board a military plane at Kabul airport. Reuters
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A US Marine processes an evacuee at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. AFP
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on his first video address since Taliban takeover. Facebook
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People carry Afghan flags as they take part in an anti-Taliban protest in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Reuters
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A woman holds a photograph during a protest to raise awareness of the situation in Afghanistan, outside EU headquarters in Brussels. AP Photo
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Senior Taliban figure Abdul Ghani Baradar arrives in Afghanistan on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. AFP
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A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty saloon where images of women have been defaced, in Shahr-e Naw neighbourhood in north-west Kabul. AFP
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People wait to be evacuated from Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport, following the Taliban takeover of the capital. AFP
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Afghans make their way into Pakistan at the Chaman border crossing. AFP
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Khairullah Khairkhwa, right, a former governor of western Herat province and now a member of the Taliban's political office in Qatar, speaks to the media after arriving in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan. EPA
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US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan takes questions on events in Afghanistan, at a White House press briefing in Washington. EPA
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Taliban forces guard a checkpoint in Kabul. Reuters
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A young demonstrator attends a vigil in support of Afghanistan outside the West Los Angeles Federal Building, Los Angeles. EPA
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Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, centre, holds the group's first press conference in Kabul since the insurgents took the capital. AFP
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Images of glamorous women displayed outside a beauty salon in Kabul have been painted over since the Taliban took control. EPA
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A Taliban fighter in Afghan capital Kabul, where the group has told government staff to return to work. AFP
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Taliban fighters on patrol in Kabul. AFP
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Taliban fighters in an Afghan government forces pickup patrol the streets of Kabul. AFP
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Taliban fighters pass a poster of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul. AFP
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People queue outside Kabul airport as they try to leave Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. Reuters
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A Taliban fighter keeps watch outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul. AFP
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Some of the first people flown out of Kabul after the Taliban takeover arrive at Frankfurt International Airport in Germany. AFP
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People have arrived in Frankfurt after fleeing the Afghan capital. AFP
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Western countries have been flying citizens and Afghans out of Kabul since it was seized by the Taliban. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OQE3VXN643JLOO6N72WE6STQSU.jpg?smart=true&auth=0923c1207bc621e43973e2ad7c5f3083206684f8eedc42f256f4d1ee962ea9fc&width=400&height=225)
A man waves Afghanistan's national flag in Kabul, as the country marks its 102nd Independence Day on Thursday, August 20. This commemorates the country regaining full independence from British influence in 1919. AFP
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Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul. AP Photo
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Afghans pass by the poster of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani who fled the country after Taliban took over, as they celebrate the Independence Day in Kabul. EPA
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Cars and crowds are seen near the airport in Kabul. Reuters
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People gather round the scene of a shooting outside Kabul airport, while others move away from the incident. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SQQBIIIIJULIQVSAC45VZCN4QE.jpg?smart=true&auth=311317a96a0227fb470b3972d8d4babfe4c91789755bbb82675e5477cb6824ee&width=400&height=225)
A Taliban fighter sitting on a vehicle guards the route of an Ashura procession in western city Herat. AFP
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British and dual nationality citizens living in Afghanistan board a military plane at Kabul airport. Reuters
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A US Marine processes an evacuee at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. AFP
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on his first video address since Taliban takeover. Facebook
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People carry Afghan flags as they take part in an anti-Taliban protest in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Reuters
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A woman holds a photograph during a protest to raise awareness of the situation in Afghanistan, outside EU headquarters in Brussels. AP Photo
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Senior Taliban figure Abdul Ghani Baradar arrives in Afghanistan on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. AFP
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A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty saloon where images of women have been defaced, in Shahr-e Naw neighbourhood in north-west Kabul. AFP
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People wait to be evacuated from Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport, following the Taliban takeover of the capital. AFP
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Afghans make their way into Pakistan at the Chaman border crossing. AFP
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Khairullah Khairkhwa, right, a former governor of western Herat province and now a member of the Taliban's political office in Qatar, speaks to the media after arriving in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FN2W2ZLE2ZFGXMGIS6WDM7LJS4.jpg?smart=true&auth=45894437d21e8512c876f183088b7179275ba5af0eb0036b5fed28d6ba003201&width=400&height=225)
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan takes questions on events in Afghanistan, at a White House press briefing in Washington. EPA
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Taliban forces guard a checkpoint in Kabul. Reuters
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A young demonstrator attends a vigil in support of Afghanistan outside the West Los Angeles Federal Building, Los Angeles. EPA
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Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, centre, holds the group's first press conference in Kabul since the insurgents took the capital. AFP
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Images of glamorous women displayed outside a beauty salon in Kabul have been painted over since the Taliban took control. EPA
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A Taliban fighter in Afghan capital Kabul, where the group has told government staff to return to work. AFP
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Taliban fighters on patrol in Kabul. AFP
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Taliban fighters in an Afghan government forces pickup patrol the streets of Kabul. AFP
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Taliban fighters pass a poster of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul. AFP
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People queue outside Kabul airport as they try to leave Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. Reuters
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A Taliban fighter keeps watch outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul. AFP
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Some of the first people flown out of Kabul after the Taliban takeover arrive at Frankfurt International Airport in Germany. AFP
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People have arrived in Frankfurt after fleeing the Afghan capital. AFP
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Western countries have been flying citizens and Afghans out of Kabul since it was seized by the Taliban. AFP
Taliban takeover in Afghanistan triggers mix of celebration and concern in Pakistan
Successive Pakistani governments have been accused of assisting the Taliban, but Islamabad has strongly denied the accusations
Ben Farmer
Islamabad
18 August, 2021
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