The Taliban is expected to form a government as early as Friday as it faces national and international pressure to govern Afghanistan with greater tolerance, particularly over women’s rights.
The announcement of a new administration could be made after Friday afternoon prayers, two Taliban sources told AFP news agency, as the group sends speed to govern the country while also trying to meet an armed challenge by the rebels in the Panjshir Valley region.
While the West has taken a wait-and-see approach for the Taliban, there have been some signs of engagement with the new leaders gaining momentum.
The United Nations has said it has resumed humanitarian flights to new parts of the country, connecting the Pakistani capital Islamabad with Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan and Kandahar in the south.
Thousands of Afghans have been displaced internally due to recent violence. As many as half a million others are also estimated to be refugees in neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Iran.
The country’s main airport in Kabul remains closed, but is expected to reopen in days with the help of Qatari technical experts.
A new US poll by the Washington Post news paper and ABC broadcaster found that Americans overwhelmingly support Washington’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, but not how the chaotic evacuation was carried out.
The survey found that 77 percent of Americans support the decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from the 20-year conflict. About 52 percent of respondents support the withdrawal, but do not deny how the Biden administration handled it.