is what is what is happening, is what is causing the stir more than anything else. could the taliban have move so fast if they weren't supported by so many people? if they weren't supported by so many eo - le? , if they weren't supported by so many --eole? , , if they weren't supported by so many neale? a, n, if they weren't supported by so many --eole? , h, if they weren't supported by so many --eole? , u, a people? that is a good topic. there is acceptance _ people? that is a good topic. there is acceptance amongst _ people? that is a good topic. there is acceptance amongst the - people? that is a good topic. there is acceptance amongst the people | people? that is a good topic. there i is acceptance amongst the people for the taliban and more so in the rural areas because of the tribal way they've approached the elders. afghanistan is a tribal society with the elders making the decisions, and they are the architects of the future, which is why when you hear in some provinces taliban are allowing schools, that is because of the pressure elders have placed on the pressure elders have placed on the taliban. the influence of the elders is important on how it will structure the future. find

elders is important on how it will structure the future.— structure the future. and we are heafina structure the future. and we are hearing now _ structure the future. and we are hearing now that _ structure the future. and we are hearing now that a _ structure the future. and we are hearing now that a delegation i structure the future. and we are l hearing now that a delegation of afghan elders will be going to doha for these talks with the taliban about how afghanistan will be run, what power will look like. do you have concerns about a generational difference, a gender difference here as afghanistan's fate is decided again? as afghanistan's fate is decided a . ain? ~ , , ., ., again? well, first, this delegation, is it a political— again? well, first, this delegation, is it a political elder _ again? well, first, this delegation, is it a political elder delegation, i is it a political elder delegation, or is it elders from the province, from kandahar, from kunduz? those that have worked with the taliban? and have supported the government? when it comes to representatives of women, it isn't there. the afghani administration didn't send female islamic scholars, a battalion of them, to speak to the afghan taliban is what the concern is. theological arguments is what has to take place

in order to bring any type of freedom for women because it is the religion narrative that the taliban has been taking forward so one has to speak in their language. let's look now and international reaction to the rapid advance of the taliban. my colleaguejoins me. so much happening so fast, give us an overview. , ,., much happening so fast, give us an overview. , , ., , overview. yes, so we will stop in the uk because _ overview. yes, so we will stop in the uk because in _ overview. yes, so we will stop in the uk because in the _ overview. yes, so we will stop in the uk because in the last - overview. yes, so we will stop in| the uk because in the last couple overview. yes, so we will stop in i the uk because in the last couple of hours there's been an emergency meeting with borisjohnson calling fad and after the meeting he came out and spoke and gave some interesting insights mainly saying that there is an admission there will be a new government in kabul which when you think back a couple of weeks, evenjust which when you think back a couple of weeks, even just this morning, which when you think back a couple of weeks, evenjust this morning, it is an extraordinary thing for a british prime minister to say. and the priority is to work to avoid the situation in afghanistan of it becoming a hot bread of breeding ground of terrorism, let's listen to what he said. it is clear that there is going to

be shortly— it is clear that there is going to be shortly a new government in kabul or a new_ be shortly a new government in kabul or a new political dispensation, however— or a new political dispensation, however you want to put it. and it is very— however you want to put it. and it is very important that the west collectively should work together to -et collectively should work together to get over _ collectively should work together to get over to that new government, be the taliban_ get over to that new government, be the taliban or anybody else that and nobody _ the taliban or anybody else that and nobody wants afghanistan once again to be a _ nobody wants afghanistan once again to be a breeding ground for terror. boris _ to be a breeding ground for terror. borisjohnson also spoke to be a breeding ground for terror. boris johnson also spoke about the borisjohnson also spoke about the situation on the ground right now and we've had some pictures in from the ministry of defence in the uk and we can see they are showing troops arriving in kabul. this is the 16 air assault brigade arriving in kabul. what is the situation with regards to the uk on the ground? johnson that it is difficult is his

word but he says the priority is to look after the uk nationals and those that helped the british effort. so, a priority on fulfilling the obligations to those who helped the obligations to those who helped the british effort. now, let's move on to the us. there is very little doubt from the international community the us decision to withdraw has accelerated by a factor the events in afghanistan. so, who is defending that decision? the people who made it, antony blinken, secretary of state, was speaking this morning to nbc�*s meet the press and absolutely defending the move, let's take a listen. we can do right by the people who stood _ we can do right by the people who stood with— we can do right by the people who stood with us in afghanistan all these _ stood with us in afghanistan all these years, including afghans who worked _ these years, including afghans who worked for— these years, including afghans who worked for the embassy, work from military _ worked for the embassy, work from military. we have a massive effort under_ military. we have a massive effort under way— military. we have a massive effort under way to bring afghans at risk out of— under way to bring afghans at risk out of the — under way to bring afghans at risk out of the country, if that is what

they— out of the country, if that is what they so _ out of the country, if that is what they so desire. ultimately, it is up to the _ they so desire. ultimately, it is up to the afghans themselves and the government and the taliban to decide the way— government and the taliban to decide the way forward for the country, including — the way forward for the country, including kabul. a the way forward for the country, including kabul.— including kabul. a feeling of the entire world _ including kabul. a feeling of the entire world watching _ including kabul. a feeling of the entire world watching that - including kabul. a feeling of the entire world watching that this | including kabul. a feeling of the | entire world watching that this is an historic day, an astonishing day, is what else did we note? let’s is what else did we note? let's focus in on _ is what else did we note? let's focus in on the _ is what else did we note? let's focus in on the airport, - is what else did we note? let's focus in on the airport, we - is what else did we note? let's focus in on the airport, we sawl focus in on the airport, we saw british troops arriving which is becoming increasingly a focus for international tension. nato working there right now. we had a message from the nato secretary general saying... clearly there are fears of violence around the airport and given events are moving so quickly, international security efforts based around that airport, so that update from nato which we will keep across any other updates. i want to show you other pictures which demonstrate exactly what is going on. this from france.

we've had pictures from the french ambassador to afghanistan so let's pause to take this in there. there are no words on these pictures by just absorbing them gives you an idea of what exactly has been happening in the last few hours. it is extraordinary. pictures taken inside a helicopter moving from the embassy, so out of the green zone to the airport, france saying it is moving its afghan embassy closer to kabul airport. and it's going to stay operational, they say, to help the evacuation of all french citizens so extraordinary pictures on the ground centred around the airport. i want to finish with one final message which kind of sums up in lots of ways many of the concerns of many international observers around the world. this is from a tweet we can show you from malala yousafzai saying...

it isa it is a very big task for the international community. thank you for civina international community. thank you for giving us — international community. thank you for giving us a _ international community. thank you for giving us a rounded _ international community. thank you for giving us a rounded view. - for giving us a rounded view. i've also been talking to several experts about historical parallels, how to see this and look at the region and one of those was o'hanlon, senior are at the institution in washington and he's written so much in afghanistan, you may know osama bin laden kept a book by him on his book shelf. the speed at which taliban have taken control of afghanistan today is astonishing, he says. it of afghanistan today is astonishing, he sa s. , ., , of afghanistan today is astonishing, he sa s. , ., ., ., he says. it is remarkable at one level. he says. it is remarkable at one level- the _ he says. it is remarkable at one level. the whole _ he says. it is remarkable at one level. the whole thing - he says. it is remarkable at one level. the whole thing is - level. the whole thing is mind—numbing even for those of us that have been following this and knew the possibilities. so we know that afghans don't like to fight in a losing cause which is not entirely

surprising that some of the government and much of the government and much of the government security forces would collapse like this but given they have, you wouldn't necessarily expect the taliban to negotiate over anything. and i am still sceptical that they will. so, i obviously hope and pray that somehow there could be and pray that somehow there could be an agreement whereby the taliban decided to basically say we will at least make the effort to bring other voices into this government, to grant amnesty. it is more than i would have hoped for, frankly, and i'm not sure it'll happen but i guess that's where we have to go now with our aspirations. there's a lot of criticism of the biden decision. i think it was a wrong decision and executed far too quickly. also, i think we are all processing what is happening and some people who defend the president will say the fact this whole house of cards has clapped so fast proves it was a house of cards

which would seem to lend support to mr biden pulls my view there was no point in keeping on with the mission that obviously was only building a she“ that obviously was only building a shell of a government and of a security force. others would say afghans don't fight in a losing cause. if you pull the rug out so quickly with so little warning and planning, which is what has happened in the last four months, then you increase dramatically the chances of this sort of catastrophe. i think that president biden's response notwithstanding this is obviously notwithstanding this is obviously not going to be a feather in his cap and the only question is about damage limitation. how do we show the world that in fact this president can be resolute on other problems and be a good ally on other problems and be a good ally on other problems when he and myjudgment wasn't resolute and not a good ally in regards to afghanistan. michael, our reporter _ in regards to afghanistan. michael, our reporter from _ in regards to afghanistan. michael, our reporter from ground _ in regards to afghanistan. michael, our reporter from ground zero - in regards to afghanistan. michael, our reporter from ground zero on . our reporter from ground zero on

9/11... and you know what this has meant to be in the united states. what you seem to be saying is that to a large extent the us mission over the last 20 years is revealed as a mirage. over the last 20 years is revealed as a mirage-— as a mirage. i'm afraid these are the sorts of— as a mirage. i'm afraid these are the sorts of debates _ as a mirage. i'm afraid these are the sorts of debates that - as a mirage. i'm afraid these are the sorts of debates that have i the sorts of debates that have happened elsewhere around the world, and britain worked so hard, fought so hard, lost so many people in helmand province in afghanistan and decided a few years ago sort of like what president biden has decided this year the effort was not worth sustaining at that same kind of level and intensity. this isn't a debate unique to the united states. the issues are palpable, and they are clearly before us. but i also think there was a good case to keep doing what we were doing, 12,000 total nato troops was down more than 90% from the peak and enough to give

afghan forces some backbone, enough to allow a peace process to begin and over time there was a chance the peace process could have evolved in a favourable direction so this will go down as a very sad and tragic day, and also a bad decision by nato writ large, the united states taking the brunt of it now as we should but other nato countries have been wrestling with these questions and made these kinds of decisions and an that stop together for so long so well is coming out of this with a mission that may have kept terrorism at bay for 20 years but didn't achieve its goals for afghanistan itself. ~ . ., achieve its goals for afghanistan itself. a ., ., itself. michael was saying that clearly afghans _ itself. michael was saying that clearly afghans haven't - itself. michael was saying that clearly afghans haven't been l clearly afghans haven't been prepared to fight in a losing cause but the application of the afghan president, fleeing the country today, has shocked many including those who worked closely with him like the education minister. she now worries about whether she will face

reprisals. i am in shock. i am in disbelief. i did not think things would happen the way they did. and the saddest day to make the saddest part is that i didn't expect this. i didn't expect this from the president that i knew, and the president who i trusted fully. somehow in my heart and in the back of my mind i want to believe this isn't true that he left. but if he did, it is really a shame. ., ~' ,, �* left. but if he did, it is really a shame. ., ~ �* ., ~' shame. you knew him, you've worked with him as — shame. you knew him, you've worked with him as a — shame. you knew him, you've worked with him as a minister— shame. you knew him, you've worked with him as a minister in _ shame. you knew him, you've worked with him as a minister in his - with him as a minister in his government, and only yesterday he was telling the people, the army will be re—mobilised so now do you feel betrayed? mat will be re-mobilised so now do you feel betrayed?—

feel betrayed? not 'ust for me, for the entire nation. — feel betrayed? notjust for me, for the entire nation. it _ feel betrayed? notjust for me, for the entire nation. it is _ feel betrayed? notjust for me, for the entire nation. it is a _ feel betrayed? notjust for me, for the entire nation. it is a betrayal. l the entire nation. it is a betrayal. i was asked earlier on bbc radio if i was asked earlier on bbc radio if ifeel i was asked earlier on bbc radio if i feel betrayed by the international community and i didn't answer it blankly because i wanted to believe that we have leadership in the country that will take care of us. but if this information is true that president ashraf ghani and his close team left without informing the nation, then yes, it is a betrayal to the whole nation of afghanistan. you're speak as someone who is a role model for many people, you are also there is a citizen and as a mother. what do you think now for your own daughter? yes. the fear that every mother has in afghanistan. the fear that every woman has in afghanistan. deep down, in my heart,

i keep telling myself to think that i have not done anything bad, and hopefully i won't have to pay the price forjoining a government position. but now i might face consequences that i never even dream of, i guess that is the price that we pay for trying to make this world a little better than when we came to it. and particularly afghanistan. what does it feel like right now because are you having to be worried about a knock on the door? anything is possible. i'm actually sitting in the hallway of the house where there is not too many windows close by, just a little earlier, there were lots of gunshots and so i brought my daughter and the other kids living in the house with us,

to be a bit safe, but in terms of how safe we are, and how this night, if we remain until the morning, it is very, very difficult to predict if we'll be here until the morning. and there must be so many parents like you in kabul thinking, do we stay inside and shelter? do we try to get out? and then what? exactly. that is the question on everyone's mind. it is the shock. i'm sitting here thinking, the ideas are just floating. i thought the americans had sent 5,000 troops along with the british, along with the canadians, and my question is did these 5,000 plus troops also leave? or at least somebody confirming whether this information is true? because all day long, rumours, information have been floating

around that it is hard to believe what to believe.