'Hope India will change stance,' says Taliban as Afghanistan falls
What's the story
The Taliban expects India to change its stance and support the group, its spokesman said.
The terror outfit had on Sunday taken over Afghanistan after its capital Kabul fell and President Ashraf Ghani left the country.
The Taliban advanced across Afghanistan before reaching the capital city as the United States and its allies withdrew troops after two decades of war.
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'It would be good for India and Afghanistan'
"I hope they (India) will also change their policies because earlier they were siding with the regime government, which was imposed. It would be good for both sides, for the people of India and Afghanistan," Shaheen Suhail, the spokesman, told News18 in an interview.
Context
India trying to evacuate nationals from Afghanistan
India is currently trying to evacuate its nationals from Afghanistan. It had earlier ferried many diplomats from its embassies there.
However, an Air India flight scheduled to fly to Afghanistan to bring back people can no longer operate as the airspace has been closed, officials said.
"We were not able to operate our 12:30 pm flight to Kabul," an airline source told NDTV.
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Will provide security to all foreign embassies: Taliban
Suhail said they will provide security to all foreign embassies. "So far the situation is we will provide secure environment for all embassies and diplomats. Regarding our embassies in other countries, that will be decided after the government is formed."
Warning
Taliban has warned India against a military role
In an earlier interview, the same Taliban spokesman had said the group appreciates India's humanitarian and developmental work in Afghanistan.
He, however, also warned India against playing any military role there.
"What do you mean by military role? If they come to Afghanistan militarily and have their presence. I think that will not be good for them," he told news agency ANI.
Other details
5 killed at Kabul airport as Afghans desperate to flee
The Taliban had captured city after city before reaching Kabul on Sunday afternoon and asking for a "peaceful transition" of power, which it was given.
Meanwhile, people across Afghanistan are desperate to leave the country and settle anywhere else.
In fact, at least five people were killed amid chaos at the Kabul airport on Monday, according to reports.