Taliban will soon declare the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ from the presidential palace in Kabul which they captured on Sunday. Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the Kabul airport has been closed for commercial flights as military evacuations continue.

The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan was over after the Taliban took control of the presidential palace in Kabul. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed, while hundreds of Afghans desperate to leave the country flooded Kabul airport.

On Monday, Western nations scrambled to evacuate their citizens. American diplomats were flown by helicopter to the airport from their embassy in the Wazir Akbar Khan district. Senior US military officials said Kabul International Airport has been closed to commercial flights as military evacuations continue in the city, reported The Associated Press.

An official part of the militant group said the Taliban will soon declare the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ from the presidential palace. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said that it was the name of the country under the Taliban government ousted by US-led forces after the September 11, 2001, attacks. The Taliban has warned government employees in Afghanistan to return to the way they were 20 years ago under Taliban rule.

Also read: “I Left To Avoid Bloodshed,” Ashraf Ghani Posted After Leaving Afghanistan

Kabul’s international airport has been closed to commercial flights as military evacuations continue, senior US military officials were quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

The suspension of commercial flights cuts off one of the last avenues to escape the country for Afghans fearful of Taliban rule. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.

Ashraf Ghani stepped down from the post of president, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed. In a Facebook post late on Sunday, Ashraf Ghani said he came across a “hard choice” between the “armed Taliban” or “leaving the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting the past 20 years”.

“If there were still countless countrymen martyred and they would face destruction and destruction of Kabul city, result would have been a big human disaster in this 6 million city. Taliban have made it to remove me, they’re here to attack all Kabul and the people of Kabul,” he said in the official statement.

Without disclosing details of his current location, Ashraf Ghani further added that in order to avoid bloodshed, he thought it was best to get out.