No agreement on extension of deadline for evacuation, Taliban say!

KABUL: As US President Joe Biden is expected to decide on an extension of the August 31 deadline to airlift Americans and their allies, the Taliban on Tuesday denied agreeing to any such extension. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the group has not agreed to extend the deadline for evacuation, urging the United States to not fly out skilled Afghans, reported news agencies.

Guaranteeing the safety of the desperate Afghans crowding the Kabul airport to flee the country, Mujahid said they can go home. The Taliban also attempted to assuage the fears of reprisal saying there is no list of people for such targeting.

'We have forgotten everything in the past,' the spokesperson insisted.

Assuring foreign embassies security, Mujahid reiterated that the Taliban do not want them to either close or stop work.

A day after the Taliban revealed hundreds of their fighters were heading for the Panjshir Valley, the centre of the resistance in Afghanistan, Mujahid claimed the group wants to resolve the situation through dialogue.

(With inputs from agencies)