Taliban
Taliban fighters have been seizing territory across Afghanistan.
Allauddin Khan/AP
  • Videos and images show the Taliban celebrating as they reach the outskirts of Afghanistan's capital Kabul.
  • Taliban fighters are waiting at the city's gates as they negotiate with the government, a spokesman said.
  • The Afghan government has said they will have a "peaceful transfer of power" to a Taliban-led interim government.
  • See more stories on Insider's business page.

Taliban fighters have reached Afghanistan's capital city Kabul, in the culmination of a lightning offensive that has seen the insurgents take control of large swathes of the country.

Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told the BBC that fighters had been instructed to wait at the gates of Kabul while the insurgents negotiated an agreement with the government.

Acting Afghan Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said on Sunday that Afghanistan will have a"peaceful transfer of power" to a "transitional government" led by the Taliban.

Videos posted online purportedly show a Taliban fighter weeping in joy and insurgents celebrating as they reach the outskirts of the capital.

Another video claimed to show supporters of the Taliban celebrating as the insurgents paused their advance outside the city gates.

Despite the claims in the tweet, reports have described a city gripped by fear as residents try to flee the city as the insurgents approach.

In one video posted to Twitter, a frightened woman tells the camera, "Taliban have entered the city and we are running away. Everyone is afraid."

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