CIA head meets Taliban leader as fears for Afghanistan grow

at Kabul International Airport the end of the month is coming too quickly. The U. S. Is trying to hit its self imposed august 31st deadline to complete the evacuation from Afghanistan In the days remaining. We believe we have the wherewithal to get out the american citizens who want to leave Kabul Taliban warning. There will be consequences if it takes any longer a firefight at the airport sunday that left one afghan security member dead underscoring the tense security situation As the U. S. Tries to maximize the number of people it can fly out. The military flew more than 10,000 people out of Kabul in 24 hours and another 5000 on charters and other flights, a new record and a pace that must continue. We are pushing the limits uh to do everything we can to get every single evacuate Out of Kabul in order to speed up evacuations. The pentagon activating the civil reserve air fleet for only the third time using 18 aircraft from commercial carriers like United and American to move evacuees from the Middle East onwards. For now though, the US prioritizing getting american citizens out. Several 1000 have left the country already. The pentagon says a senior State Department official says there are still several 1000 more the pentagon acknowledging helicopters have left the airport not once but twice to pick up evacuees. Pentagon Press secretary, john Kirby hinting at more on occasion where there's a need and there's a capability to meet that need. Our commanders on the ground are doing what they feel they need to do to help americans reach the airport for now, the U. S. Embassy in Kabul is telling Afghan special immigrant visa applicants and evacuees not to come to the airport until they're told with potentially little more than a week left of this evacuation effort. Fear of a totalitarian taliban regime is growing. The brother of an Afghan interpreter, received these letters from the taliban, a court date for helping U. S. Troops and shielding his brother And then a notification of his death sentence. These court decisions are final and you will not have the right to object. The third and final letter reads, you chose this path for yourself and your death is imminent. God willing. There are still some 13,000 people at the airport and more trying to get through every day. But a new terror threat from IsIS K, an offshoot of ISIS in the Middle East, forcing the US to develop alternate routes to the airport for safety. Even when there is so little time left to evacuate

The director of the CIA met with the Taliban’s top political leader in Kabul, an official said Tuesday, as more reports emerged of abuses in areas held by the fighters, fueling concerns about Afghanistan's future and the fate of those racing to leave the country before the looming U.S. withdrawal.Recent days have seen a flurry of efforts to speed a chaotic evacuation of foreigners and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul's airport, where scenes of desperation have highlighted both the disarray of the American pullout and fears that the Taliban will again impose a brutal rule. Leaders of the Group of Seven nations plan to meet later in the day to discuss possibly extending the airlift past the Aug. 31 deadline for the U.S. pullout — but a Taliban official firmly rejected that on Tuesday.While details of William Burns’ discussion with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Monday were not released, the meeting represents an extraordinary moment for a CIA that for two decades targeted the Taliban in paramilitary operations. And it gives a sense of the extent of the wrangling happening ahead of the end of America's two-decade war in the country.The CIA partnered with Pakistani forces to arrest Baradar in 2010. He spent eight years in a Pakistani prison before the Trump administration persuaded Pakistan to release him in 2018 ahead of peace talks.The Washington Post first reported Burns’ meeting with Baradar. A U.S. official confirmed the report on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. A Taliban spokesman said he was not aware of any such meeting but did not deny that it took place.In the wake of their stunning takeover of Afghanistan, Taliban leaders have promised to restore security and tried to project an image of moderation, but many Afghans are skeptical. U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet added to those concerns Tuesday, warning she had credible reports of "summary executions" and restrictions on women in areas under Taliban control. She urged the Human Rights Council to take "bold and vigorous action" to monitor the rights situation.Bachelet did not specify what time timeframe she was referring to or the source of her reports. It has been difficult to determine how widespread abuses might be and whether they reflect that Taliban leaders are saying one thing and doing another, or if fighters on the ground are taking matters into their own hands.When the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s, the group largely confined women to their homes, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.Later Tuesday, G-7 leaders plan to discuss the crisis in Afghanistan, as European leaders press the U.S. to consider delaying its withdrawal to allow more time to evacuate those desperate to leave.U.S. administration officials have refused to be pinned down about whether an extension is likely or even possible given that the Taliban spokesman have warned that Aug. 31 is a "red line" and that extending the American presence would "provoke a reaction."On Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said again that his group would accept "no extensions" to the deadline.German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the majority of local staff who worked for his country in Afghanistan haven’t yet gotten out and called Tuesday’s meeting "very important" for discussing international access to the Kabul airport beyond the end of August. Britain's defense minister separately has called the deadline a "mistake."Tragic scenes at the airport have transfixed the world. Afghans poured onto the tarmac last week and some clung to a U.S. military transport plane as it took off, later plunging to their deaths. At least seven people died that day, and another seven died Sunday in a panicked stampede. An Afghan soldier was killed Monday in a gunfight.Underscoring the fears of those seeking to flee, Bachelet cited reports Tuesday of "summary executions" of civilians and former security forces who were no longer fighting, the recruitment of child soldiers, and restrictions on the rights of women to move around freely and of girls to go to school. She cited repression of peaceful protests and expressions of dissent.She called for strong action to investigate reports of rights abuses."At this critical moment, the people of Afghanistan look to the Human Rights Council to defend and protect their rights," she said. "I urge this council to take bold and vigorous action, commensurate with the gravity of this crisis, by establishing a dedicated mechanism to closely monitor the evolving human rights situation in Afghanistan."By "mechanism," Bachelet was referring to the possibility that the council might appoint a commission of inquiry, special rapporteur or fact-finding mission on the situation in Afghanistan.While advocacy groups like Human Rights Watch echoed such calls, a draft resolution at the council stopped far short of intensified scrutiny — and appeared to push back any deeper look at the rights situation until next year.___Merchant reported from Washington, Keaten from Geneva and Faiez from Istanbul. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates contributed to this report.

Recent days have seen a flurry of efforts to speed a chaotic evacuation of foreigners and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul's airport, where scenes of desperation have highlighted both the disarray of the American pullout and fears that the Taliban will again impose a brutal rule. Leaders of the Group of Seven nations plan to meet later in the day to discuss possibly extending the airlift past the Aug. 31 deadline for the U.S. pullout — but a Taliban official firmly rejected that on Tuesday.

While details of William Burns’ discussion with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Monday were not released, the meeting represents an extraordinary moment for a CIA that for two decades targeted the Taliban in paramilitary operations. And it gives a sense of the extent of the wrangling happening ahead of the end of America's two-decade war in the country.

The CIA partnered with Pakistani forces to arrest Baradar in 2010. He before the Trump administration persuaded Pakistan to release him in 2018 ahead of peace talks.

The Washington Post first reported Burns’ meeting with Baradar. A U.S. official confirmed the report on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. A Taliban spokesman said he was not aware of any such meeting but did not deny that it took place.

In the wake of their stunning takeover of Afghanistan, Taliban leaders have promised to restore security and tried to project an image of moderation, but many Afghans are skeptical. U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet added to those concerns Tuesday, warning she had credible reports of "summary executions" and restrictions on women in areas under Taliban control. She urged the Human Rights Council to take "bold and vigorous action" to monitor the rights situation.

Bachelet did not specify what time timeframe she was referring to or the source of her reports. It has been difficult to determine how widespread abuses might be and whether they reflect that Taliban leaders are saying one thing and doing another, or if fighters on the ground are taking matters into their own hands.

When the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s, the group largely confined women to their homes, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Later Tuesday, G-7 leaders , as European leaders press the U.S. to consider delaying its withdrawal to allow more time to evacuate those desperate to leave.

U.S. administration officials have refused to be pinned down about whether an extension is likely or even possible given that the Taliban spokesman have warned that Aug. 31 is a "red line" and that extending the American presence would "provoke a reaction."

On Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said again that his group would accept "no extensions" to the deadline.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the majority of local staff who worked for his country in Afghanistan haven’t yet gotten out and called Tuesday’s meeting "very important" for discussing international access to the Kabul airport beyond the end of August. Britain's defense minister separately has called the deadline a "mistake."

Tragic scenes at the airport have transfixed the world. Afghans poured onto the tarmac last week and some clung to a U.S. military transport plane as it took off, later plunging to their deaths. At least seven people died that day, and another seven died Sunday in a panicked stampede. An Afghan soldier was killed Monday in a gunfight.

Underscoring the fears of those seeking to flee, Bachelet cited reports Tuesday of "summary executions" of civilians and former security forces who were no longer fighting, the recruitment of child soldiers, and restrictions on the rights of women to move around freely and of girls to go to school. She cited repression of peaceful protests and expressions of dissent.

She called for strong action to investigate reports of rights abuses.

"At this critical moment, the people of Afghanistan look to the Human Rights Council to defend and protect their rights," she said. "I urge this council to take bold and vigorous action, commensurate with the gravity of this crisis, by establishing a dedicated mechanism to closely monitor the evolving human rights situation in Afghanistan."

By "mechanism," Bachelet was referring to the possibility that the council might appoint a commission of inquiry, special rapporteur or fact-finding mission on the situation in Afghanistan.

While advocacy groups like Human Rights Watch echoed such calls, a draft resolution at the council stopped far short of intensified scrutiny — and appeared to push back any deeper look at the rights situation until next year.

___

Merchant reported from Washington, Keaten from Geneva and Faiez from Istanbul. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates contributed to this report.

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