Go about your lives with confidence, say the Taliban, but fearful Afghans remain unconvinced

Militants pledge pardons for all, and to uphold women's rights, but on the streets, fears of a return to repression and reprisals loom large

By Suddaf Chaudry IN KABUL and Ben Farmer IN ISLAMABAD

For more than a decade, the Taliban’s spokesman had been only a voice on the telephone, speaking to journalists from a hiding place somewhere along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

On Tuesday, he stepped from the shadows to give the new Taliban regime’s first press conference, in a lavish media facility paid for by Western largesse.

In a hall where US and UK officials once proclaimed the progress of their campaign, Zabiullah Mujahid tried to reassure Afghans fearful about the Taliban’s revived emirate.

The Taliban’s mouthpiece spoke as the movement’s co-founder returned to Afghanistan following the group’s stunning takeover of the country. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is tipped by some as a potential leader of the Taliban’s new regime, touched down in Kandahar, which was their capital during the 1990s.

Mujahid, whose name is thought to be shared by several spokesmen, declared that the war was over and that all their opponents would be pardoned.

He committed to protect rights, though gave few details and added caveats. “We are committed to letting women work in accordance with the principles of Islam,” he said.

Afghan women, holding placards, gathered outside the Presidential Palace in Kabul to demand the protection of women's rights

CREDIT: Sayed Khodaiberdi Sadat/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

He wanted the country’s private media to “remain independent,” but stressed journalists “should not work against national values”.

When asked about freedom of speech, Mujahid even hit out at Facebook for censoring content from the Taliban, saying the question should be asked of them.

His reassurances were part of a concerted campaign to try to assuage fears the militants would return to the repressions of their Nineties government. Earlier in the day, a Taliban official had respectfully answered questions from a female news anchor, in a scene which would have been unthinkable under their previous regime.

Elsewhere, the victorious militants said they had declared an amnesty for government workers “so you should start your routine life with full confidence”. 

Women were encouraged to join the government. A barrage of messages insisted the country’s new rulers would “provide a safe and stable environment” for all.

Yet at the same time, away from the spotlight, Afghans who have worked for foreign organisations said they were being sought out and having their homes searched. Patrols were reported to be going house to house looking for people.

Afghans have found themselves in a new reality where they do not yet know the rules and do not know which face of the Taliban they will see.

One man who had worked for an American aid group said the Taliban had knocked for him on Monday night. The man, who gave his name as Sultan, said: “They came to my house last night, my wife opened the door, they wanted to know where I was.”

A small group of protesters against the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan gathered in Parliament Square, London, on Tuesday

CREDIT: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Another man called Shoaib said he was unconvinced by the Taliban’s promises: “What you see out there is merely lip service. I’ve seen this all before. This time, we may not survive it.”

Male staff at one hotel had stopped shaving and all the female staff had gone. The music had also been stopped because “friends are here,” staff said.

Declaring they were cracking down on crime, the militants released film of a suspected car thief being led through the streets with his face blacked.

The Taliban’s arrival in Kabul also came after their lightning offensive across the country had seen examples of reprisal executions and the killing of prisoners.

Hurrying through the streets with a suitcase, a woman called Sheqaba said the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul meant she had to flee to her village.

“I am going back to my village. We ran from Kunduz, the Taliban burned down our house when they found out my father worked for the military. Now they are here, please don’t ask me any more questions. They are watching.”

Martine van Bijlert, co-founder of the Afghanistan Analysts Network research group, said it was unlikely that everyone who worked for foreign agencies or the previous government would be targeted, but it was unclear who would. 

She said: “What is certain is that no one believes that there will be no retribution at all. Indeed, there are already reports that some people have been quietly taken from their homes.”

Taliban representatives in some parts of the country had expressed support for educating girls, according to Unicef

CREDIT: Aref Karimi/AFP via Getty Images

Girls’ education will also be one of the litmus tests of the country’s new rulers.

Unicef said Taliban representatives in some parts of the country had expressed support for educating girls, but were waiting for guidance from the leadership.

“We will need to see what actually happens and I think we will need to see acts on the ground in terms of promises kept,” said Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the UN.

Outside of Kabul and Afghanistan’s liberal urban centres, reports have emerged of Taliban repression familiar from their rule two decades ago.

Advancing Taliban fighters burned a girls' school in northwestern Faryab province, according to the Christian Science Monitor. 

“I cried a lot. The villagers tried to put out the fire, but the Taliban shot at them and no one saved our school,” said an 18-year-old student.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s ousted vice president announced that he was still in the country and claimed that he is the legitimate caretaker leader, after urging his countrymen to “join the resistance”.

Amrullah Saleh said that the constitution put him in charge because Ashraf Ghani, the former president, had fled.

The former spy chief said he was “reaching out to all leaders to secure their support and consensus”, three days after the Taliban took Kabul.

His declaration came soon after he had also tweeted a message of defiance against the Taliban, in which he appeared to criticise Joe Biden’s decision to quit the country.

It was not immediately clear where he was speaking from, but there has been speculation the former aide to legendary anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud had retreated to Panjshir province with Massoud’s son.