this is bbc news — i'm lukewesa burak — with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the afghan interior ministry says the taliban have started entering kabulfrom all sides — as locals attempt to leave the capital. kabul was the only city left under afghan government control — afterjalalabad fell to the taliban. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world.

we start with breaking news. taliban fighters have reached the afghan capital, kabul. some reports say they've begun entering the city. but a spokesman for the militants said they'd been told to wait. the afghan presidential palace has tweeted that gunshots have been heard at a number of points around kabul. these pictures filmed by our crew in kabul in the last hour show people attempting to leave the city. the taliban says negotiations are taking place to ensure a peaceful transition of power. us and british troops have been arriving in afghanistan

to evacuate diplomatic staff. overnight, the insurgents seized the eastern city of jalalabad. local leaders handed it over without a fight according to reports. let's speak to our south asia correspondent, anbarasan ethiraja. remind us of the key points and the significance of what has happened in the last hour and a half. i can the last hour and a half. i can confirm that _ the last hour and a half. i can confirm that after _ the last hour and a half. i can confirm that after speaking i the last hour and a half. i can i confirm that after speaking with the last hour and a half. i can confirm that after speaking with my colleagues in kabul the taliban fighters was seen on the outskirts of the city and have not stormed or entered the city. there was some confusion in the presidential palace, about a statement talking about gun fire and had brought the situation under control with the security forces and international partners. we have no confirmation about the earlier reports but what the insurgent group has issued a statement i can read out. since

kabul is a densely populated city in the fighters do not intend to enter the fighters do not intend to enter the city by force but rather enter peacefully. so negotiations are under way to ensure the transition process is completed safely. the taliban say they have ordered the fighters not to enter the city by force at the moment. as we speak lots of behind—the—scenes discussions have been going on. there was some speculation that president ghani would resign because of the developments but yesterday he gave a very defined message about re—mobilising security forces. now it is becoming clear that the taliban have reached the district surrounding the city of kabul, the last major city under government control as we speak and the taliban are also making progress in nearby areas. at this point it is making very, very clear at the taliban are

already in the position now to dictate what will happen in the coming days. you've explained to us there how the taliban are trying to calm things down and have told their fighters to stay on the outskirts of kabul. how disciplined are the taliban? so far they have shown they have good command and control structure because it is a huge organisation. you can imagine how they were able to fight across all afghanistan and without that control and discipline this would not have happened. we still don't know whether any rogue fighter could enter or anything could trigger a fight. there are peoples roaming around with heavy weapons and also don't know how many taliban fighters have already in the past few months and four years may have infiltrated.

many intelligence advisors who say they must be sitting there already. they have ordered the fighters not to enter the city. when i spoke to my colleagues they some government offices were asked to evacuate in some shops were closed. there is a sense of fear and fear and panic and confusion about what is going on at the moment and they also blame the government for not coming out and giving them a clear direction. there was a huge queue outside banks and people trying to withdraw their money. what will happen in the next few days they don't know. people are crowding to the embassy is trying to get visas so they can leave feeling what will happen during our taliban takeover. many people don't even have passports and have been approaching passport offices desperate to get a passport first before they can go to any other country. it is disappointing for many afghans are not getting direction and they don't know what

to do because they want to have their home cities and the belongings and whatever they have saved in the last 20 years gone. they are still in kabul whatever next. to go back to the taliban, people are finding more and more about what they are. they sound like a very nebulous organisation and yet as you said very well organised, they've been very well organised, they've been very strategic, worked at lightning speed. who is heading them up? the taliban leader, many say it was started in pakistan in the early 19905 started in pakistan in the early 1990s at the height of the civil war within afghanistan and then they gather strength and many afghans would blame pakistan for arming and supporting the taliban and giving them the training. they rode into

afghanistan during the mid—i9 90s and pakistan always denied the accusation. the rule from 1996 to 2001 using a hard islamic rule and were following sharia law and the women were asked to wear the back—up. burqa. 0ne women were asked to wear the back—up. burqa. one of the leaders was the son of a leader and the pakistan government blames for this insurgence. you need fighters which they are getting. they need some sort of external help or sanctuaries and if they get injured they need to get treatment in hospitals. a number ofjournalists, many taliban

of journalists, many taliban fighters ofjournalists, many taliban fighters have been reported as getting treatment in hospitals in peshawar. they have money and weapons and treatment facilities. those are lords of the reasons they have been able to manage all these years and it also used the ethnic and tribal vision. you have various tribes and they used the tribal connections to negotiate with people to ask people to switch other sites. you see what happened the last time, they were using brute force in 1996 and 1995. this time they have been using a carrot and stick policy, negotiating with the regional governors, negotiating with the army commanders, we will give you a safe passage because many people can't. they have been using this in this round of offensives in the past few days and that is why in the provinces they simply give up without a fight. you have brought up pakistan. we havejust been

without a fight. you have brought up pakistan. we have just been speaking to the british mp tobias ellwood who has said pakistan has a lot to answer for. has said pakistan has a lot to answerfor. you have given has said pakistan has a lot to answer for. you have given some background there that people are also saying pakistan will play a key role in the future of afghanistan. yes, indeed. everyone accepts and the british in the western countries because some will say the road to kabul go is via a slam are bad because they have a huge influence in afghanistan. the north—west of pakistan the southern eastern part of pakistan are dominated by tribes who lived on both sides of the border. there are historic connections and they never respected the orders because people were moving across and marrying. —— borders. forthem it moving across and marrying. —— borders. for them it is only one community living across. but what happened during the soviet invasion in the late 1970s and in 1980s many

pakistanis were blaming the us for supplying weapons to the moon hatchet dean who were fighting against the soviets. ——mujahadin. and the pipeline going all the way to hyderabad. that is how it started and the pakistanis will have different perspective. the americans have been using pakistan since the soviet invasion but since 11th september 2001 pakistan played a role because military bases were provided and until recently went from karachi port and then by road all the way to afghanistan. it is very difficult to move heavy equipment by aso pakistan is a crucial role and an important role according to the foreign minister in bringing the taliban to the negotiating table. without pakistan it is difficult to see how any peace

process a transitional happen and thatis process a transitional happen and that is what the americans are very much aware of. thank you very much. i'm joined now by farzana elham, an afghanistan mp in kabul. i wonder if you can give us clarity as to what has taking place. the situation in kabul is somehow like normal. people arejust situation in kabul is somehow like normal. people are just living situation in kabul is somehow like normal. people arejust living here on and some are running and hiding in the houses. then we hear some gunfire around kabul, not in the

centre of the city, from some districts that have already been fallen into the taliban hands. it makes the people of kabul even more nervous and we are scared of what will happen here, no battle, know what will happen. it will be a transition and everything that happens will be based on a political settlement and agreement that it is obviously saying that but still people are in a situation they can't believe in these words because we have already been through so much from the provinces to kabul so it is

actually how the people feel. they feel anything could happen in a minute or an feel anything could happen in a minute oran hour do feel anything could happen in a minute or an hou— feel anything could happen in a minute or an hour do you feel at all reassured by _ minute or an hour do you feel at all reassured by the _ minute or an hour do you feel at all reassured by the statement - minute or an hour do you feel at all reassured by the statement the - reassured by the statement the taliban have put out? tiara reassured by the statement the taliban have put out? two kabul? the have taliban have put out? two kabul? they have issued _ taliban have put out? two kabul? they have issued a _ taliban have put out? two kabul? they have issued a statement - taliban have put out? two kabul? j they have issued a statement why they are staying on the outskirts of what their planners. does that reassure you in any way? some news from the taliban _ reassure you in any way? some news from the taliban as _ reassure you in any way? some news from the taliban as well _ reassure you in any way? some news from the taliban as well as _ reassure you in any way? some news from the taliban as well as the - from the taliban as well as the government that they will base an exchange of power on an agreement and we have some videos from the taliban fighters in the social media saying we have this much people ready to attack on kabul and thus

much like those who will do the battle on the ground, this matchable blast themselves and so much for this and these things are coming out to the people on social media and so many ways so people are scared of that. but they can't believe this actually might be a peaceful settlement or it can end a war so everything can happen here. —— end “p everything can happen here. —— end up in a war. everything can happen here. -- end up in a war-— up in a war. you are a woman mp. those are _ up in a war. you are a woman mp. those are two — up in a war. you are a woman mp. those are two very _ up in a war. you are a woman mp. those are two very highly - up in a war. you are a woman mp. those are two very highly volatile | those are two very highly volatile areas for the taliban. how are you feeling right now about your future? as for being an mp, especially a representative representing the

people and people elected them, this is true for me so we are not hired by the government but still as a person who has always supported having strong government, like here in afghanistan, i have always been against this exchange and transaction of power by battle, by war, so i feel scared of course and frightened and for my people and as for being a woman, things get worse when you think about that because in the provinces the taliban took control of that they just sent some girl back to their houses from attending university schools and their jobs, attending university schools and theirjobs, declaiming that this is temporary but i can't believe that because we have been through so much with the taliban and we know them so

i can't believe in them and i am so scared notjust for myself, for every woman in afghanistan. it's hard for them. do every woman in afghanistan. it's hard for them.— every woman in afghanistan. it's hard for them. do you plan to stay in afghanistan? _ hard for them. do you plan to stay in afghanistan? yes, _ hard for them. do you plan to stay in afghanistan? yes, of _ hard for them. do you plan to stay in afghanistan? yes, of course. i. in afghanistan? yes, of course. i have to stay _ in afghanistan? yes, of course. i have to stay and _ in afghanistan? yes, of course. i have to stay and i _ in afghanistan? yes, of course. i have to stay and i will _ in afghanistan? yes, of course. i have to stay and i will stay - in afghanistan? yes, of course. i have to stay and i will stay here | have to stay and i will stay here until i see that i can do something, i can survive as a human here, not just as a woman from the point of view of the taliban that i have to be in my house and i have to lockdown myself and jailed myself and my house so i will be here. here is a good place for me, this is my country, i can't be more efficient and than in my country. i can work here. this country needs us and this is our country and we have to build that but i will be here until i make

sure that i have my place in the society and the government and everything that can happen is an afghan, notjust as a woman but women and men can contribute to the community equally so i believe in this and this is the way i will survive. there are ways that locking down myself and my house, that this can take me nowhere and i can't tolerate that i'm notjust for myself but thousands of women, afghan women, ifeel myself but thousands of women, afghan women, i feel sorry for them. let's go back to the withdrawal of the foreign troops. what do you think about the way this withdrawal has been handled? here the situation

is not normal. everyone can say everything so we don't have the first—hand information how this all happened but i'm lost, i'm hopeless. i'm just broken down in pieces why this happened. i never expected this, that this will happen this way. we deserved a better life and better situation, like we afghans contributed to much for democracy for our government and for everything that up till here we lost so many lives for this. it everything that up till here we lost so many lives for this.— so many lives for this. it appears we have lost _ so many lives for this. it appears we have lost you. _ so many lives for this. it appears we have lost you. it _ so many lives for this. it appears we have lost you. it is _ so many lives for this. it appears we have lost you. it is such - so many lives for this. it appears we have lost you. it is such a - we have lost you. it is such a shame. sorry, we've got you back, the line broke up slightly. in terms

of the future would you be happy to see foreign troops in some way or another comeback to afghanistan to handle things differently and you mentioned peace negotiation and the transition. what do afghans want it to look like? not what the foreigners want it, what sort of a transitional government to do afghans want? from my point of view and as much as i have been in contact with my people here know one agreed to a transitional government or share the power like the way it is happening right now. we have lived in an undemocratic system that we paid a high price for in these 20 years and we have practised that. but for people the reality is to

live in peace and they deserve that of course. for them the main priority is to live in peace and they are happy for a peace settlement that could come and they just... i settlement that could come and they 'ust. .. ~' ., , settlement that could come and they 'ust. .. ~' ._ ., settlement that could come and they 'ust. .. ~' , ., .,, just... i think we may have lost the line. just... i think we may have lost the line- people _ just... i think we may have lost the line. people want _ just... i think we may have lost the line. people want that _ just... i think we may have lost the line. people want that kind - just... i think we may have lost the line. people want that kind of - line. people want that kind of government _ line. people want that kind of government but _ line. people want that kind of government but now - line. people want that kind of government but now the - line. people want that kind of| government but now the thing line. people want that kind of. government but now the thing is happening so for the people the important thing is they have their rights and they can live a life that they deserve all those good things that every human needs, that is the important thing. we that every human needs, that is the important thing-— that every human needs, that is the important thing. we have had reports of some of the _ important thing. we have had reports of some of the afghan _ important thing. we have had reports of some of the afghan warlords - of some of the afghan warlords vowing that they are going to fight the taliban. what would that mean

for the country if you so that sort of fighting? would that equate to civil war in your eyes?— civil war in your eyes? actually know we don't _ civil war in your eyes? actually know we don't have _ civil war in your eyes? actually know we don't have any - civil war in your eyes? actually know we don't have any one i civil war in your eyes? actually i know we don't have any one large group in afghanistan fighting the taliban, all of them left afghanistan to liberate countries and after the taliban to the control of their areas. as you may also be aware, from the last question i forgot one part we will not be having troops in afghanistan. just today i have read the news about president biden saying if the taliban do something against our values and interests will do something to them that they won't

forget. as an afghan, not as an npr as a woman, just as our human, i think everything that afghanistan is been through is not important but when it counts against america they will do that again in afghanistan? this is like something we can expect from foreigners and those who claim they are helping afghanistan. so actually i am hopeless about the foreigners and i cannot say we can trust them for our good, for a benefits and interests and values. actually that's not true if we can lay down on these things after hearing this news and these words from president biden, that's actually how it is.— from president biden, that's actually how it is. what do you want? what —

actually how it is. what do you want? what would _ actually how it is. what do you want? what would help - actually how it is. what do you - want? what would help afghanistan? i think this is the big conundrum, the big question. president biden words are not what afghans want to hear. in what form should it come? we needed in what form should it come? - needed that so badly. we just wejust speak we just speak with the international media, with the campaigns from social media from afghanistan but unfortunately we just got nothing, we got nothing, so they said that said, we can do anything more. so i

conclude this question with this word i don't believe in foreign help any more. but the thing that is happening just happened now. we are stacked in a small area in kabul. for now what can help is a true piece dealfor your for now what can help is a true piece deal for your base than that, —— peace, the afghan people can live the life they deserve. -- peace, the afghan people can live the life they deserve.— the life they deserve. there has been a lot _ the life they deserve. there has been a lot of — the life they deserve. there has been a lot of talk _ the life they deserve. there has been a lot of talk about - the life they deserve. there has been a lot of talk about why - been a lot of talk about why president ghani has taken so long to respond and what you said. what would you like to hear from respond and what you said. what would you like to hearfrom him? personally i think we are at the

point where we can fight and burn the cities. it is so late. we can't fight this war not when it is the centre of the city where there are so many people living and we could have fought the war in districts in some places where people have already been displaced so it was a good field for the battle, for the war with them, the taliban but we missed that point so we're knowing a place where we can do by war so i wasn't hopeless until yesterday when i was having an interview talking to the people but the situation has

changed, unfortunately.- the people but the situation has changed, unfortunately. there have been a lot of— changed, unfortunately. there have been a lot of questions _ changed, unfortunately. there have been a lot of questions about - changed, unfortunately. there have been a lot of questions about the i been a lot of questions about the afghan army and some have said the foreign troops were badly equipped, why would they not able to fight back? �* , ., why would they not able to fight back? �* ,., , ., ., why would they not able to fight back? �* , ., ., ., ., ., ., back? i'm so proud of our national forces. back? i'm so proud of our national forces- no- _ back? i'm so proud of our national forces- no- i— back? i'm so proud of our national forces. no. ithink_ back? i'm so proud of our national forces. no. i think we _ back? i'm so proud of our national forces. no. i think we have - back? i'm so proud of our national forces. no. ithink we have lost. i forces. no. ithink we have lost. such a shame. _ forces. no. ithink we have lost. such a shame. she _ forces. no. ithink we have lost. such a shame. she was - forces. no. ithink we have lost. such a shame. she was a - forces. no. ithink we have lost. | such a shame. she was a female forces. no. ithink we have lost. - such a shame. she was a female mp speaking to us from kabul. i am sure we will sort that out and play some of her key answers back to you. apologies for the line. understandable, of course. i've been speaking to unicef�*s chief of field operations and emergencies in kabul —

mustapha ben messaoud, he's been telling me his concerns. watching very closely the situation. there we are watching very closely the situation. i welcome the statement that was done by the taliban that they will ensure no civilian lives are lost, especially women and children. i think we have been concerned since the beginning of this military offensive and intensification of the conflict about the cost of human lives, especially women and children and we have been watching very closely. we have been engaged with parties in the conflict to try and ensure that lives are not put in danger. what evidence have you seen to raise your humanitarian concerns, ensure that lives are not put in danger. what evidence have you seen to raise your humanitarian concerns, what has been going on? you have brought up concern about women's and girls' rights but immediately now, what humanitarian concerns out there?

i think we have been vocal about the humanitarian concern and needs affecting afghanistan right now. you have heard about the 360,000 people that have been pushed on the move because of the conflict and we have also reported on the number of children killed since the beginning of the year. that number is unacceptable, standing at more than 500. at the same time, we have been having discussions and meetings with the taliban leadership in the various towns that are now under their control. the latest engagement we had with them was in jalalabad this morning where we discussed how unicef would be able to resume their activities.

those activities are really life—saving interventions at this stage. they have agreed to that that you can carry on with your work? so far, we have had only positive feedback from the leadership. that happened in the west where our teams are and in the north but also in kandahar and this morning injalalabad. it might be too early to see our operations back at full capacity but we did retain capacity everywhere in our 11 field offices across the country and we are in position to supply our partners most of whom are still able to operate, once we have clarity on the conflict itself. what do your operations involve exactly? at this stage it is about life—saving intervention and those are health services. most of the families left their area and they have nothing and their children are traumatised. provision of safe drinking water is an urgent need right now

and at this stage it is about trying to bring the minimum services to the family and we are doing that in the camp here in kabul and also in kandahar and in the west. our previous operations are still ongoing but i must admit at a lower operational capacity than in the month of may. how easy or difficult or safe is it to move around the country? i think it is not safe and that is the feeling we share with the afghan population. we have been here for a number of years and working to establish a relationship with people on the ground, including the leadership on the ground. we do have channels of communication that are accessible to us around the clock and we are able to a certain extent to

ensure that the operations are ongoing. it is not the best scenario we would wish for but at least we