The Taliban are claiming to have taken over the presidential palace in Kabul, BBC reported. President Ashraf Ghani left the country earlier on Sunday - but the exact situation at the palace is still unclear. According to local journalist Bilal Sarwary who spoke to two Afghans involved in direct negotiations, part of the agreement was that Ghani would join the transition of power ceremony inside the palace - but instead he and his senior aides left the country.

"Palace employees were then reportedly told to leave and the palace was (left) empty," the aides said. The Taliban later told a global wire service that they had taken it over. There has been no confirmation from government officials. Two officials from the Taliban told the wire there would be no transitional government following their lighting sweep across Afghanistan that led back to the capital two decades after the group were overthrown by US-led forces.