Taliban to declare new govt soon: Report

Kabul, Aug 22: A week after taking over Kabul, Taliban group is set to announce the formation of new Afghanistan government soon.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said that talks on the formation of a new government with Afghan political leaders are underway and that a new government will be announced in the near future, TOLO news agency reported.

"Our political officials met with leaders here in Kabul, their views are important, discussions are moving, InshaAllah, there is hope for an announcement on the government soon," he said.

In a stunning rout, the Taliban seized nearly all of Afghanistan in just over a week, despite the hundreds of billions of dollars spent by the US and NATO over nearly two decades to build up Afghan security forces. Just days earlier, an American military assessment estimated it would be a month before the capital would come under insurgent pressure.

Instead, the Taliban swiftly defeated, co-opted or sent Afghan security forces fleeing from wide swaths of the country, even though they had some air support from the U.S. military.

On Sunday, the insurgents entered the outskirts of Kabul but apparently remained outside of the city's downtown. Sporadic gunfire echoed at times though the streets were largely quiet.

Workers fled government offices, and smoke rose over the city as embassy staff burned important documents.

Despite the pledges, panic set in as many rushed to leave the country through the Kabul airport, the last route out of the country as the Taliban now hold every border crossing.