12 nations, including India, won’t recognise govt by force in Afg

Twelve nations including the US India and China along with representatives of the UN and EU have decided that they would not recognise any government in Afghanistan that seeks to take control through the barrel of a gun the State Department has said amid the continued Taliban offensive across the wartorn countryRepresentatives from the United States and Qatar the UN China Uzbekistan Pakistan the UK the EU Germany India Norway Tajikistan Turkey and Turkmenistan joined a regional conclave on Thursday to discuss ways to contain the escalating security situation in AfghanistanThe conclave was hosted by Qatar The participants ldquoagreed first and foremost that the peace process needs to be accelerated And they also agreed importantly that they will not recognise any government that is imposed through military forcerdquo State Department Spokesperson Ned Price saidHis remarks came as the Taliban advanced across Afghanistan and took control over key provincial capitals Reports say that the militant group has captured Herat and Kandahar the countryrsquos second and third largest cities after Kabul and a strategic provincial capital on ThursdayIt comes just weeks before the end of the American military mission in Afghanistan The US Embassy in Afghanistan issued a security alert last week urging Americans to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight optionsldquoThis is not just the United States making this point This is not just the United States speaking with our voice This is the international community as you see represented in the consensus that has emerged todayrdquo Prince said He said the consensus is on ldquothis very simple point any force that seeks to take control of Afghanistan with the barrel of a gun through the barrel of a gun will not have legitimacyrdquoTaliban warns India against military movesThe Taliban has warned India against military moves in Afghanistan pointing to the fate of other military powers ldquoIf they India come to Afghanistan militarily it will not be good for them Theyrsquove seen the fate of military presence in Afghanistan of other countries so it is an open book for themrdquo Taliban spokesperson Muhammed Suhail Shaheen said He also denied that the Taliban has ties with other terror groups based in PakistanUS Embassy in Kabul destroys sensitive materialsThe US Embassy buildings are seen in Kabul Around 3000 US troops have been sent to help with the evacuation PicAFPThe US Embassy in Kabul is instructing personnel to destroy sensitive materials as well as items ldquowhich could be misused in propaganda effortsrdquo according to a management notice sent to the staff The notice about ldquoEmergency Destruction Servicesrdquo underscores the dire situation on the ground in Afghanistan as cities continue to fall to the Taliban a CNN news report said The report said that one intelligence assessment indicated that Kabul could be isolated by the Taliban within the week possibly in the next 72 hours but stressed that does not mean the militant group would enter the capital President Joe Biden spoke with Secretary of State Antony Blinken Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan ldquoabout the ongoing efforts to safely drawdown the civilian footprint in Afghanistanrdquo according to a White House tweetThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever