August 16, 2021

LONDON — World leaders expressed dismay and concern at the chaotic scenes in the Afghan capital Kabul, with the Taliban now effectively taking control of the country.

Since the U.S. began winding down its Afghan operation, the Taliban — which seeks to enforce an austere version of Islamic law — has been seizing new territory on an almost daily basis. It captured Kabul on Sunday and took over the presidential palace, a move that marked the end of nearly 20 years of American military presence on the ground.

On Sunday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the situation “extremely difficult.”

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