2021.08.16 國際新聞導讀-15日阿富汗全國淪陷總統出逃、西方國家派兵撤僑撤使館、阿富汗伊斯蘭酋長國復國成功、耶路撒冷野火爆發、哈瑪斯揚言再開戰、以色列徵求解決氣候變遷方法的創意提案
塔利班軍隊進入喀布爾 阿富汗總統逃離該國
塔利班在不到一周的時間內奪取了阿富汗大部分地區的控制權後，美國派遣部隊撤離部分使館人員
作者：艾哈邁德·賽爾、拉希姆·法耶茲、塔米姆·阿赫加爾和喬恩·甘布雷爾今天，下午 5:51
2021 年 8 月 15 日，塔利班戰士坐在拉格曼省一條街道上的一輛汽車上。（法新社）
阿富汗喀布爾（美聯社）——官員們說，隨著塔利班進一步進入喀布爾，阿富汗四面楚歌的總統阿什拉夫加尼週日逃離了該國。他的同胞和外國人都競相退出，這標誌著一項旨在重塑阿富汗的 20 年西方實驗的結束。
兩名不願透露姓名的官員告訴美聯社，加尼飛出該國，因為他們無權向記者介紹情況。阿富汗民族和解委員會主席阿卜杜拉·阿卜杜拉後來在一段在線視頻中證實加尼已經離開。
“他在艱難時期離開了阿富汗，上帝要他負責，”阿卜杜拉說。
平民擔心塔利班可能會重新實施那種幾乎消除婦女權利的殘酷規則，他們急忙離開該國，在自動取款機前排隊提取他們的畢生積蓄。
直升機在頭頂嗡嗡作響，從美國大使館撤離人員，而工作人員銷毀重要文件時，大院附近濃煙滾滾。其他幾個西方使團也準備把他們的人拉出來。
儘管美國和北約在近二十年中花費了數十億美元來建立阿富汗安全部隊，但塔利班在短短一周多的時間里以驚人的潰敗奪取了阿富汗的幾乎所有地區。就在幾天前，美國軍事評估估計，首都將在一個月後面臨叛亂壓力。
2021 年 8 月 15 日星期日，阿富汗人在阿富汗喀布爾的喀布爾銀行前排長隊等待取款。（美聯社照片/Rahmat Gul）（美聯社照片/Rahmat Gul）
相反，塔利班迅速擊敗、拉攏或派遣阿富汗安全部隊逃離該國大片地區，儘管他們得到了美國軍方的一些空中支援。
週日，叛亂分子進入喀布爾郊區，但顯然留在了該市的市中心之外。儘管街道上基本上很安靜，但時不時會傳來零星的槍聲。
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塔利班發言人 Suhail Shaheen 告訴卡塔爾半島電視台英語衛星新聞頻道，叛亂分子“正在等待喀布爾市的和平轉移”。他拒絕提供有關他的部隊與政府之間可能進行的任何談判的細節。
但當被問及塔利班想要什麼樣的協議時，沙欣承認他們正在尋求中央政府無條件投降。
一名阿富汗官員說，塔利班談判代表週日在喀布爾討論權力移交問題，該官員因害怕遭到報復而不願透露姓名。目前尚不清楚何時進行轉移以及塔利班中的誰正在談判。
2021 年 8 月 15 日星期日，美國駐阿富汗喀布爾大使館附近冒出濃煙。（美聯社照片/Rahmat Gul）
一位官員說，政府方面的談判代表包括前總統哈米德·卡爾扎伊和阿富汗民族和解委員會主席阿卜杜拉·阿卜杜拉。阿卜杜拉一直是加尼的直言不諱的批評者，加尼長期以來拒絕放棄與塔利班達成協議的權力。
這位不願透露姓名的官員討論了閉門談判的細節，稱談判“緊張”。卡爾扎伊本人出現在網上發布的一段視頻中，他的三個年幼的女兒在他身邊，稱他留在喀布爾。
“我們正試圖與塔利班領導層和平解決阿富汗問題，”他說，同時可以聽到從頭頂飛過的直升機的轟鳴聲。
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在逃離該國之前，加尼顯得越來越孤立。幾天前與他談判的軍閥要么向塔利班投降，要么逃離，讓他別無選擇的軍事選擇。在塔利班辦事處所在地卡塔爾多哈的談判未能阻止叛亂分子的推進。
儘管如此，代理國防部長比斯米拉汗仍試圖向公眾保證喀布爾將保持“安全”。叛亂分子還試圖安撫首都居民，堅稱他們的戰士不會進入人們的家中或乾擾企業。他們還表示，他們將“特赦”那些與阿富汗政府或外國軍隊合作的人。
“任何人的生命、財產和尊嚴都不會受到傷害，喀布爾公民的生命不會受到威脅，”叛亂分子在一份聲明中說。
2021 年 8 月 15 日星期日，一架美國支奴干直升機飛越阿富汗喀布爾市。（美聯社照片/Rahmat Gul）
但有報導稱，最近幾天塔利班佔領的該國地區發生了報復性殺戮和其他野蠻戰術。
週日，恐慌開始了，許多人急於通過喀布爾機場離開該國，這是離開該國的最後一條路線，因為塔利班現在控制著每一個過境點。
一名阿富汗大學生描述說，當她看到美國大使館撤離時，她感到被出賣了。
“你辜負了阿富汗的年輕一代，”22 歲的艾莎·庫拉姆 (Aisha Khurram) 說，她現在不確定自己能否在兩個月後畢業。“在現代阿富汗長大的一代人希望用自己的雙手建設這個國家。他們為我們現在擁有的一切付出了鮮血、努力和汗水。”
週日，在武裝分子佔領附近城市賈拉拉巴德幾個小時後，美國大使館附近開始了直升機的快速穿梭飛行，賈拉拉巴德是除首都之外的最後一個不在塔利班手中的主要城市。
美國幾天前決定派遣數千名士兵幫助撤離部分人員，兩名官員周日表示，美國外交官正在從大使館轉移到機場。軍用直升機在大使館大院和機場之間穿梭，在安全條件下，核心人員將盡可能長時間地留在那裡。
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美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯於 2021 年 8 月 9 日在馬里蘭大學帕克分校談論基礎設施投資。（帕特里克·塞曼斯基 / 游泳池 / 法新社）
這些官員無權討論外交動向，並在不願透露姓名的情況下發言。
與此同時，據兩名不願透露姓名的美國軍方官員說，在外交官緊急銷毀敏感文件時，在大使館屋頂附近可以看到一縷煙。隨著時間的推移，該地區的煙霧越來越重，那裡也是其他國家的大使館。
週日上午，美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯 (Antony Blinken) 對 CNN 發表講話，試圖反對將阿富汗撤軍與越南戰爭之後的撤軍進行任何比較，他說：“這不是西貢。” 然而，他承認阿富汗安全部隊的“空洞”。
“從我們在世界各地的戰略競爭對手的角度來看，他們最希望看到我們在阿富汗再呆 5、10、20 年，”他說。“這根本不符合國家利益。”
與此同時，北約表示正在“幫助維持喀布爾機場的運營，以保持阿富汗與世界的聯繫。”
低成本航空公司 FlyDubai 表示將暫停飛往喀布爾的航班。週日，它掉頭飛往首都，阿聯酋航空也是如此。阿聯酋航空表示，“跑道意外暫時關閉”阻止了它著陸。
2021 年 8 月 15 日，一名塔利班戰士坐在拉格曼省路邊的阿富汗國民軍 (ANA) 車輛內。 (法新社)
當天早些時候，武裝分子在網上發布了他們在楠格哈爾省首府賈拉拉巴德的州長辦公室的照片。
該省議員阿布拉魯拉·穆拉德 (Abrarullah Murad) 告訴美聯社，在長老們就政府垮台進行談判後，叛亂分子佔領了這座城市。
阿富汗官員說，武裝分子還佔領了邁丹瓦爾達克、霍斯特、卡比薩和帕爾萬省的首府。
週日，叛亂分子還佔領了托爾卡姆的陸地邊界，這是他們無法控制的最後一個邊界。巴基斯坦內政部長謝赫·拉希德·艾哈邁德告訴當地廣播公司 Geo TV，巴基斯坦在武裝分子佔領後停止了那裡的跨境交通。
據巴格拉姆地區負責人達爾瓦什·拉烏菲說，後來，巴格拉姆空軍基地的阿富汗軍隊向塔利班投降，巴格拉姆空軍基地是一座可容納 5,000 名囚犯的監獄。前美國基地的監獄關押著塔利班和伊斯蘭國組織的戰士。
Afghan president flees the country as Taliban forces enter Kabul
US sends forces to evacuate some embassy personnel after the Taliban seizes control of most of Afghanistan in less than a week
By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ, TAMEEM AKHGAR and JON GAMBRELLToday, 5:51 pm
Taliban fighters sit over a vehicle on a street in Laghman province on August 15, 2021. (AFP)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan’s embattled President Ashraf Ghani fled the country Sunday as the Taliban moved further into Kabul, officials said. His countrymen and foreigners alike raced for the exit, signaling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan.
Ghani flew out of the country, two officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to brief journalists. Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, later confirmed Ghani had left in an online video.
“He left Afghanistan in a hard time, God hold him accountable,” Abdullah said.
Civilians fearing that the Taliban could reimpose the kind of brutal rule that all but eliminated women’s rights rushed to leave the country, lining up at cash machines to withdraw their life savings.
Helicopters buzzed overhead to evacuate personnel from the US Embassy, while smoke rose near the compound as staff destroyed important documents. Several other Western missions also prepared to pull their people out.
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In a stunning rout, the Taliban seized nearly all of Afghanistan in just over a week, despite the billions of dollars spent by the US and NATO over nearly two decades to build up Afghan security forces. Just days earlier, an American military assessment estimated it would be a month before the capital would come under insurgent pressure.
Afghans wait in long lines for hours to try to withdraw money in front of Kabul Bank, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Instead, the Taliban swiftly defeated, co-opted or sent Afghan security forces fleeing from wide swaths of the country, even though they had some air support from the US military.
On Sunday, the insurgents entered the outskirts of Kabul but apparently remained outside of the city’s downtown. Sporadic gunfire echoed at times though the streets were largely quiet.
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Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Qatar’s Al-Jazeera English satellite news channel that the insurgents are “awaiting a peaceful transfer of Kabul city.” He declined to offer specifics on any possible negotiations between his forces and the government.
But when pressed on what kind of agreement the Taliban wanted, Shaheen acknowledged that they were seeking an unconditional surrender by the central government.
Taliban negotiators were in Kabul on Sunday to discuss the transfer of power, said an Afghan official who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. It remained unclear when that transfer would take place and who among the Taliban was negotiating.
Smoke rises next to the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
The negotiators on the government side included former president Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, an official said. Abdullah has been a vocal critic of Ghani, who long refused giving up power to get a deal with the Taliban.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the closed-doors negotiations, described them as “tense.” Karzai himself appeared in a video posted online, his three young daughters around him, saying he remained in Kabul.
“We are trying to solve the issue of Afghanistan with the Taliban leadership peacefully,” he said, while the roar of a passing helicopter could be heard overhead.
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Ghani had appeared increasingly isolated before he fled the country. Warlords he negotiated with just days earlier surrendered to the Taliban or fled, leaving him without a military option. Negotiations in Doha, Qatar, the site of a Taliban office, failed to stop the insurgents’ advance.
Still, acting Defense Minister Bismillah Khan sought to reassure the public that Kabul would remain “secure.” The insurgents also tried to calm residents of the capital, insisting their fighters wouldn’t enter people’s homes or interfere with businesses. They also said they’d offer an “amnesty” to those who worked with the Afghan government or foreign forces.
“No one’s life, property and dignity will be harmed and the lives of the citizens of Kabul will not be at risk,” the insurgents said in a statement.
A US Chinook helicopter flies over the city of in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
But there have been reports of revenge killings and other brutal tactics in areas of the country the Taliban have seized in recent days.
And on Sunday, panic set in as many rushed to leave the country through the Kabul airport, the last route out of the country as the Taliban now hold every border crossing.
One Afghan university student described feeling betrayed as she watched the evacuation of the US Embassy.
“You failed the younger generation of Afghanistan,” said Aisha Khurram, 22, who is now unsure of whether she’ll be able to graduate in two months’ time. “A generation … raised in the modern Afghanistan were hoping to build the country with their own hands. They put blood, efforts and sweat into whatever we had right now.”
Rapid shuttle flights of helicopters near the US Embassy began Sunday, a few hours after the militants seized the nearby city of Jalalabad — which had been the last major city besides the capital not in Taliban hands.
The US decided a few days ago to send in thousands of troops to help evacuate some personnel, and two officials said Sunday that American diplomats were being moved from the embassy to the airport. Military helicopters shuttled between the embassy compound and the airport, where a core presence will remain for as long as possible given security conditions.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks about infrastructure investment at the University of Maryland, August 9, 2021, in College Park, Maryland. (Patrick Semansky / POOL / AFP)
The officials were not authorized to discuss diplomatic movements and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, wisps of smoke could be seen near the embassy’s roof as diplomats urgently destroyed sensitive documents, according to two American military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation. The smoke grew heavier over time in the area, home to other nation’s embassies as well.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday morning, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tried to push back against any comparison between the Afghan withdrawal and the one that came after the Vietnam War, saying: “This is not Saigon.” However, he acknowledged the “hollowness” of the Afghan security forces.
“From the perspective of our strategic competitors around the world, there’s nothing they would like more than see us in Afghanistan for another five, 10, 20 years,” he said. “It’s simply not in the national interest.”
NATO, meanwhile, said it was “helping to maintain operations at Kabul airport to keep Afghanistan connected with the world.”
Low-cost carrier FlyDubai said it would temporarily suspend flights to Kabul. It turned around a flight to the capital Sunday, as did Emirates. Emirates said an “unforeseen temporary closure of the runway” stopped it from landing.
A Taliban fighter sits inside an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle along the roadside in Laghman province on August 15, 2021. (AFP)
Earlier in the day, militants posted photos online showing them in the governor’s office in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province.
Abrarullah Murad, a lawmaker from the province told The Associated Press that the insurgents seized the city after elders negotiated the fall of the government there.
Afghan officials said the militants also took the capitals of Maidan Wardak, Khost, Kapisa and Parwan provinces.
The insurgents also took the land border at Torkham, the last not in their control, on Sunday. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told local broadcaster Geo TV that Pakistan halted cross-border traffic there after the militants seized it.
Later, Afghan forces at Bagram air base, home to a prison housing 5,000 inmates, surrendered to the Taliban, according to Bagram district chief Darwaish Raufi. The prison at the former US base held both Taliban and Islamic State group fighters.
阿富汗政府將在令人震驚的崩潰中將權力移交給塔利班
內政部長說轉移將是“和平的”；阿富汗軍隊在巴格拉姆空軍基地投降；美國大學員工燒毀文件以防止識別學生身份
由機構和TOI 工作人員提供今天，下午 2:18
2021 年 8 月 15 日，塔利班戰士和當地居民坐在拉格曼省路邊的阿富汗國民軍（ANA）車輛上。（法新社）
· 1塔利班準備在周日控制阿富汗，因為戰鬥人員進入喀布爾郊區，並表示在承諾不以武力佔領首都後，他們正在等待該市的“和平轉移”。
與此同時，阿富汗人和外國人都競相退出，標誌著西方旨在重塑阿富汗長達 20 年的實驗即將結束。
與此同時，陷入困境的中央政府希望有一個臨時政府，但越來越沒有牌可打。平民擔心塔利班可能會重新實施那種幾乎消除婦女權利的殘酷規則，他們急忙離開該國，在自動取款機前排隊提取他們的畢生積蓄。
據BBC 記者報導，塔利班在一份聲明中對他們的“勝利”表示歡迎，並表示他們不會襲擊阿富汗首都。
一位不願透露姓名的阿富汗官員說，塔利班談判代表前往總統府討論轉移事宜。目前尚不清楚具體何時進行轉移。
阿富汗內政部長阿卜杜勒·薩塔爾·米爾扎克瓦爾（Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal）表示，在塔利班命令其戰鬥人員阻止進入喀布爾之後，過渡政府將“和平移交權力”。
他在錄音講話中說：“阿富汗人民不應該擔心……這座城市不會遭到襲擊，權力將和平移交給過渡政府。”
然而，驚慌失措的居民爭先恐後地離開喀布爾，工人們逃離政府辦公室，直升機降落在美國大使館。《華爾街日報》的一名記者說，美國大學的員工正在焚燒包含學生身份信息的文件，以保護他們。
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2021 年 8 月 14 日，一名男子在阿富汗喀布爾以西的赫拉特省出售塔利班旗幟。（美聯社照片/Hamed Sarfarazi）
塔利班堅稱他們的戰士不會進入家庭或乾擾企業。
他們還表示，他們將“特赦”那些與阿富汗政府或外國軍隊合作的人。
武裝分子說：“伊斯蘭酋長國再次向所有公民保證，它將一如既往地保護他們的生命、財產和榮譽，並為其心愛的國家創造一個和平安全的環境。” “在這方面，沒有人應該擔心他們的生活。”
儘管做出了承諾，但那些買得起機票的人還是紛紛湧向喀布爾國際機場，這是塔利班週日在托爾卡姆政府仍然保留的最後一個過境點之後離開該國的唯一途徑。
巴基斯坦內政部長謝赫·拉希德·艾哈邁德告訴當地廣播公司 Geo TV，巴基斯坦在武裝分子佔領後停止了那裡的跨境交通。
2021 年 8 月 15 日，在塔利班控制了阿富汗邊境城鎮後，一名巴基斯坦士兵在查曼的巴基斯坦-阿富汗邊境過境點返回阿富汗，滯留的阿富汗國民在全國范圍內進行快速攻勢。(法新社)
在僅用了一個多星期的驚人全國攻勢中，塔利班擊敗、收買或派遣阿富汗安全部隊逃離該國大片地區，儘管他們得到了美國軍方的一些空中支援。
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閃電般的推進速度震驚了許多人，並引發了人們的疑問，儘管美國接受了多年的訓練並花費了數十億美元，但阿富汗軍隊為何還是崩潰了。就在幾天前，美國的一項軍事評估估計，首都將在一個月後面臨叛亂壓力。
代理國防部長比斯米拉汗試圖通過視頻消息讓公眾放心。
“已授權一個代表團明天前往多哈（卡塔爾）就阿富汗問題達成協議，”他說。“我向你保證喀布爾的安全。”
2021 年 8 月 15 日，一名塔利班戰士坐在拉格曼省路邊的阿富汗國民軍 (ANA) 車輛內。 (法新社)
賈拉拉巴德是阿富汗除武裝分子控制的首都之外的最後一個主要城市，週日早些時候落入塔利班手中。武裝分子在網上張貼了他們在楠格哈爾省首府賈拉拉巴德的州長辦公室的照片。在武裝分子佔領附近城市賈拉拉巴德幾個小時後，波音 CH-47 支奴干直升機在美國大使館附近開始快速穿梭飛行。
可以看到外交裝甲 SUV 離開哨所周圍的區域。美國國務院沒有立即回應有關這些運動的問題。
據兩名不願透露姓名的美國軍方官員說，在外交官緊急銷毀敏感文件時，在大使館屋頂附近可以看到一縷煙霧。
隨著時間的推移，該地區的煙霧越來越重，那裡也是其他國家的大使館。
2021 年 8 月 15 日，美國駐阿富汗喀布爾大使館附近冒出濃煙（美聯社照片/Rahmat Gul）
通常攜帶武裝部隊的西科斯基 UH-60 黑鷹直升機後來也在大使館附近降落。
在直升機發射信號彈以分散可能的導彈火力時，至少可以看到一架攻擊直升機在頭頂上。幾天前，美國決定出動數千名士兵，幫助撤離其使館部分人員。
廣告
2021 年 8 月 15 日，當美國黑鷹軍用直升機和一個可飛行的氣球飛越阿富汗喀布爾市時，部署了反導彈誘餌彈（美聯社照片/Rahmat Gul）
在喀布爾國際機場，阿富汗軍隊放棄了這一領域給西方軍隊，一位不願透露姓名的飛行員說，討論安全問題。飛行員說，一架阿富汗航班早些時候從坎大哈降落在機場，載有向塔利班投降的部隊，即使在迫擊砲襲擊中受到彈片損壞。
據巴格拉姆地區負責人達爾瓦什·拉烏菲說，後來，巴格拉姆空軍基地的阿富汗軍隊向塔利班投降，巴格拉姆空軍基地是一座可容納 5,000 名囚犯的監獄。該基地的監獄曾是該國最大的美國軍事基地，關押著塔利班和伊斯蘭國組織的戰士。
成千上萬的平民現在住在喀布爾的公園和空地上，他們擔心塔利班政府可能會重新實施一項幾乎消除婦女權利的殘酷規則。由於數百人聚集在私人銀行前，試圖提取他們畢生的積蓄，一些 ATM 機停止分發現金。
儘管阿富汗總統試圖淡化槍擊事件，但槍聲在幾個點爆發。
“國防和安全部隊以及為喀布爾市安全工作的國際部隊和局勢已得到控制，”總統在混亂中說。
2021 年 8 月 15 日，塔利班戰士坐在賈拉拉巴德省街道上的一輛汽車上。（法新社）
該省議員阿布拉魯拉·穆拉德告訴美聯社，在長老們協商政府垮台後，叛亂分子佔領了賈拉拉巴德。穆拉德說，隨著這座城市投降，沒有發生戰鬥。
阿富汗議員哈米達·阿克巴里和塔利班表示，武裝分子週日還佔領了距離喀布爾約 90 公里（55 英里）的邁丹瓦爾達克首府邁丹沙爾。一位不願透露姓名的省議會成員說，霍斯特的另一個省會也落入了塔利班的手中。
阿富汗軍隊和兩名強大的前軍閥承諾保衛的該國第四大城市馬扎里沙裡夫的秋天星期六，叛亂分子控制了整個阿富汗北部。
Afghan government set to hand over power to Taliban in stunning collapse
Interior minister says transfer will be ‘peaceful’; Afghan troops surrender at Bagram air base; American University employees burn documents to prevent identification of students
By AGENCIES and TOI STAFFToday, 2:18 pm
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Taliban fighters drive an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle through the streets of Laghman province on August 15, 2021. (AFP)
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A Taliban fighter sits inside an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle along the roadside in Laghman province on August 15, 2021. (AFP)
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Anti-missile decoy flares are deployed as US Black Hawk military helicopters and a dirigible balloon fly over the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 15, 2021 (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
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Taliban fighters patrol the streets in Herat on August 14, 2021. (AFP)
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A Pakistani soldier stands guard as stranded Afghan nationals return to Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman on August 15, 2021, after the Taliban took control of the Afghan border town in a rapid offensive across the country. (AFP)
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A man sells Taliban flags in Herat province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamed Sarfarazi)
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Taliban fighters and local residents sit over an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle along the roadside in Laghman province on August 15, 2021. ( AFP)
· The Taliban was poised to take control of Afghanistan on Sunday as fighters entered the outskirts of Kabul and said they were awaiting a “peaceful transfer” of the city after promising not to take the capital by force.
Meanwhile, Afghans and foreigners alike raced for the exit, signaling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan.
The beleaguered central government, meanwhile, hoped for an interim administration but increasingly had few cards to play. Civilians fearing that the Taliban could reimpose the kind of brutal rule that all but eliminated women’s rights rushed to leave the country, lining up at cash machines to withdraw their life savings.
In a statement, the Taliban welcomed their “victory” and said they were not going to attack the Afghan capital, according to a BBC reporter.
Taliban negotiators headed to the presidential palace to discuss the transfer, said an Afghan official who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. It remained unclear exactly when the transfer would take place.
Afghan Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said there would be a “peaceful transfer of power” to a transitional government, after the Taliban ordered its fighters to hold back from entering Kabul.
“The Afghan people should not worry… There will be no attack on the city and there will be a peaceful transfer of power to the transitional government,” he said in a recorded speech.
However, panicked residents raced to leave Kabul, with workers fleeing government offices and helicopters landing at the US Embassy. A reporter for the Wall Street Journal said that employees at the American University were burning documents containing identifying information about students in order to protect them.
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A man sells Taliban flags in Herat province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamed Sarfarazi)
The Taliban has insisted their fighters wouldn’t enter homes or interfere with businesses.
They also said they’d offer “amnesty” to those who worked with the Afghan government or foreign forces.
“The Islamic Emirate once again assures all its citizens that it will, as always, protect their life, property and honor and create a peaceful and secure environment for its beloved nation,” the militants said. “In this regard, no one should worry about their life.”
Despite the pledge, those who can afford a ticket have been flocking to Kabul International Airport, the only way out of the country after the Taliban took the last border crossing still held by the government at Torkham on Sunday.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told local broadcaster Geo TV that Pakistan halted cross-border traffic there after the militants seized it.
A Pakistani soldier stands guard as stranded Afghan nationals return to Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman on August 15, 2021, after the Taliban took control of the Afghan border town in a rapid offensive across the country. (AFP)
In an astonishing nationwide offensive that has taken just over a week, the Taliban has defeated, coopted or sent Afghan security forces fleeing from wide swaths of the country, even though they had some air support from the US military.
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The lightning speed of the push has shocked many and raised questions about why Afghan forces crumbled despite years of US training and billions of dollars spent. Just days ago, an American military assessment estimated it would be a month before the capital would come under insurgent pressure.
Acting Defense Minister Bismillah Khan sought to reassure the public in a video message.
“Authority has been given to a delegation that will be going to Doha (Qatar) tomorrow to reach an agreement on Afghanistan,” he said. “I assure you about the security of Kabul.”
A Taliban fighter sits inside an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle along the roadside in Laghman province on August 15, 2021. (AFP)
Jalalabad, Afghanistan’s last major city besides the capital not held by the militants, fell to the Taliban earlier Sunday. Militants posted photos online showing them in the governor’s office in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province. Rapid shuttle flights of Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters near the US embassy began a few hours after the militants seized the nearby city of Jalalabad.
Diplomatic armored SUVs could be seen leaving the area around the post. The US State Department did not immediately respond to questions about the movements.
Wisps of smoke could be seen near the embassy’s roof as diplomats urgently destroyed sensitive documents, according to two American military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation.
The smoke grew heavier over time in the area, home to other nation’s embassies as well.
Smoke rises next to the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 15, 2021 (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, which typically carry armed troops, later landed near the embassy as well.
At least one attack helicopter could be seen overhead as helicopters launched flares to distract possible missile fire. The US decided a few days ago to send in thousands of troops to help evacuate some personnel from its embassy.
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Anti-missile decoy flares are deployed as US Black Hawk military helicopters and a dirigible balloon fly over the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 15, 2021 (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
At Kabul International Airport, Afghan forces abandoned the field to Western militaries, said a pilot who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss security matters. An Afghan flight earlier landed at the airport from Kandahar loaded with troops who surrendered to the Taliban, even after taking shrapnel damage from a mortar attack, the pilot said.
Later, Afghan forces at Bagram air base, home to a prison housing 5,000 inmates, surrendered to the Taliban, according to Bagram district chief Darwaish Raufi. The prison on the base, formerly the largest US military site in the country, housed both Taliban and Islamic State group fighters.
Thousands of civilians now live in parks and open spaces in Kabul itself, fearing a Taliban government that could reimpose a brutal rule that all but eliminated women’s rights. Some ATMs stopped distributing cash as hundreds gathered in front of private banks, trying to withdraw their life savings.
Gunfire erupted at several points, though the Afghan presidency sought to downplayed the shooting.
“The defense and security forces along with the international forces working for the security of Kabul city and the situation is under control,” the presidency said amid the chaos.
Taliban fighters sit on a vehicle along the street in Jalalabad province on August 15, 2021. (AFP)
Abrarullah Murad, a lawmaker from the province, told The Associated Press that the insurgents seized Jalalabad after elders negotiated the fall of the government there. Murad said there was no fighting as the city surrendered.
The militants took also Maidan Shar, the capital of Maidan Wardak, on Sunday, some 90 kilometers (55 miles) from Kabul, Afghan lawmaker Hamida Akbari and the Taliban said. Another provincial capital in Khost also fell to the Taliban, said a provincial council member who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The fall Saturday of Mazar-e-Sharif, the country’s fourth largest city, which Afghan forces and two powerful former warlords had pledged to defend, handed the insurgents control over all of northern Afghanistan.
塔利班將在總統府宣布“阿富汗伊斯蘭酋長國”
隨著加拿大關閉大使館和德國開始疏散外交人員，半島電視台播放宮殿內伊斯蘭戰士的鏡頭
按機構今天，晚上 10:53
2021 年 8 月 15 日，塔利班戰士在阿富汗東南部加茲尼的加茲尼省省長官邸舉起旗幟時擺姿勢拍照。（美聯社照片/Gulabuddin Amiri）
阿富汗喀布爾——週日晚上，塔利班軍隊在喀布爾散開，該激進組織的一名官員表示，它將很快在首都總統府宣布成立“阿富汗伊斯蘭酋長國”。
在 9/11 襲擊事件後，武裝分子被美國領導的軍隊驅逐之前，這是塔利班統治下的國家的名稱。該官員要求匿名，因為他無權向媒體通報情況。
半島電視台隨後播出了一段畫面，顯示總統府內有一群塔利班武裝分子。
這座城市籠罩在恐慌之中，直升機全天在頭頂盤旋，以疏散美國大使館的人員。大院附近煙霧升起，工作人員銷毀了重要文件，美國國旗也被降下。其他幾個西方使團也準備把他們的人拉出來。
應愛沙尼亞和挪威的要求，聯合國安理會將於週一上午就阿富汗問題召開緊急會議。
安理會外交官週日表示，聯合國秘書長安東尼奧·古特雷斯將向安理會成員通報塔利班接管首都喀布爾後的最新情況。
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週日早些時候逃離該國的阿富汗總統阿什拉夫加尼說，他離開是為了“防止流血氾濫”，因為塔利班進入首都，結束了全國范圍內的閃電攻勢。
加尼沒有說他去了哪裡，他說他相信如果他留下來“將有無數愛國者殉難，喀布爾市將被摧毀”。
“塔利班已經贏了……他們現在負責他們同胞的榮譽、財產和自我保護，”加尼在發佈到 Facebook 的聲明中寫道。
儘管塔利班承諾和平過渡，但美國大使館暫停了行動，並在當天晚些時候警告美國人躲在原地，不要試圖前往機場。
據兩名不願透露姓名的美國高級軍事官員透露，在機場爆發零星槍聲後，商業航班暫停。軍事航班上的疏散仍在繼續，但商業交通的停止關閉了阿富汗人逃離該國的最後一條路線。
阿富汗民族和解委員會主席阿卜杜拉·阿卜杜拉 (Abdullah Abdullah) 說：“阿富汗前總統離開了阿富汗，讓這個國家陷入了這種困難的境地。” “上帝應該追究他的責任。”
廣告
2021 年 8 月 15 日，一架美國支奴干直升機在美國駐阿富汗喀布爾大使館附近飛行。（美聯社照片/Rahmat Gul）
夜幕降臨時，塔利班戰士部署在喀布爾各地，接管廢棄的警察哨所，並承諾在過渡期間維持法律和秩序。居民報告說，該市部分地區遭到搶劫，包括在高檔外交區，社交媒體上流傳的信息建議人們留在室內並鎖好大門。
儘管美國和北約在近二十年中花費了數十億美元來建立阿富汗安全部隊，但塔利班在短短一周多的時間里以驚人的潰敗奪取了阿富汗的幾乎所有地區。就在幾天前，美國軍事評估估計，首都將在一個月後面臨叛亂壓力。
德國外交部長海科·馬斯表示，德國將於週日晚些時候開始將其大使館工作人員帶離喀布爾，並補充說，目前在機場軍事區的工作人員都安全。
馬斯補充說，隨著塔利班權力接近尾聲，聯邦國防軍的飛機也將在周日晚上飛往阿富汗首都，以幫助在未來幾天內進行撤離。
這位部長說，軍隊將把乘客運送到一個未命名的“鄰國”，然後他們將在那裡乘坐飛往德國的民用航班。
大使館的一個核心團隊將繼續在他們目前避難的機場開展工作，特別是幫助疏散。
2021 年 8 月 15 日，在塔利班控制了阿富汗邊境城鎮後，一名巴基斯坦士兵在查曼的巴基斯坦-阿富汗邊境過境點返回阿富汗，滯留的阿富汗國民在全國范圍內進行快速攻勢。(法新社)
“我們現在正在盡一切努力讓我們的國民和我們的前當地僱員在未來幾天離開這個國家，”馬斯說。
然而，他警告說，情況“難以預測”，德國正在與盟友密切合作撤離。
渥太華外交部周日宣布，在撤離工作人員後，加拿大暫時關閉了駐喀布爾大使館。該部在一份聲明中說，加拿大人員已經在返回加拿大的路上。
廣告
加拿大總理賈斯汀·特魯多說：“加拿大堅決譴責不斷升級的暴力，我們對阿富汗人民今天所處的境地感到心碎。”
該部補充說，一旦條件允許在足夠安全的情況下恢復正常活動，大使館將重新開放。
Taliban to announce ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ from presidential palace
Al Jazeera airs footage of Islamist fighters inside the palace, as Canada shuts its embassy and Germany begins evacuating diplomatic staff
By AGENCIESToday, 10:53 pm
Taliban fighters pose for a photograph while raising their flag at the Ghazni provincial governor's house, in Ghazni, southeastern, Afghanistan, on August 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Gulabuddin Amiri)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban forces fanned out across Kabul on Sunday night as an official with the militant group said it would soon announce the creation of the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” from the presidential palace in the capital.
That was the name of the country under Taliban rule before the militants were ousted by US-led forces after the 9/11 attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.
The Al-Jazeera news network later aired footage showing a group of Taliban fighters inside the presidential palace.
The city was gripped by panic, with helicopters racing overhead throughout the day to evacuate personnel from the US embassy. Smoke rose near the compound, as staff destroyed important documents, and the American flag was lowered. Several other Western missions also prepared to pull their people out.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting about Afghanistan on Monday morning, at the request of Estonia and Norway.
Council diplomats said Sunday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will brief council members on the latest situation following the Taliban takeover of the capital, Kabul.
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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country earlier Sunday, said he left in order to “prevent a flood of bloodshed,” as the Taliban entered the capital, capping a lightning offensive across the country.
Ghani, who did not say where he had gone, said he believed “countless patriots would be martyred and the city of Kabul would be destroyed” if he had stayed behind.
“The Taliban have won… and are now responsible for the honor, property and self-preservation of their countrymen,” Ghani wrote in a statement posted to Facebook.
Though the Taliban had promised a peaceful transition, the US embassy suspended operations and warned Americans late in the day to shelter in place and not try to get to the airport.
Commercial flights were suspended after sporadic gunfire erupted at the airport, according to two senior US military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations. Evacuations continued on military flights, but the halt to commercial traffic closed off one of the last routes available for Afghans fleeing the country.
“The former president of Afghanistan left Afghanistan, leaving the country in this difficult situation,” said Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council. “God should hold him accountable.”
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A US Chinook helicopter flies near the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
As night fell, Taliban fighters deployed across Kabul, taking over abandoned police posts and pledging to maintain law and order during the transition. Residents reported looting in parts of the city, including in the upscale diplomatic district, and messages circulating on social media advised people to stay inside and lock their gates.
In a stunning rout, the Taliban seized nearly all of Afghanistan in just over a week, despite the billions of dollars spent by the US and NATO over nearly two decades to build up Afghan security forces. Just days earlier, an American military assessment estimated it would be a month before the capital would come under insurgent pressure.
Germany will begin flying its embassy staff out of Kabul later Sunday, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said, adding that the employees were currently all safe at the military section of the airport.
The Bundeswehr’s aircraft will also depart Sunday night for the Afghan capital to help with the evacuation in coming days, Maas added, as the Taliban closed in on power.
The army will fly passengers to an unnamed “neighboring country,” where they will then be put on civilian flights bound for Germany, said the minister.
A core team of the embassy will carry on operating from the airport, where they are currently sheltering, to help in particular with the evacuations.
A Pakistani soldier stands guard as stranded Afghan nationals return to Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman on August 15, 2021, after the Taliban took control of the Afghan border town in a rapid offensive across the country. (AFP)
“We are doing everything now to enable our nationals and our former local employees to leave the country in the coming days,” said Maas.
However, he warned that the situation is “difficult to predict,” and that Germany was working in close cooperation with allies on the evacuations.
Canada temporarily closed its embassy in Kabul after evacuating staff, the Foreign Ministry in Ottawa announced Sunday. The ministry said in a statement that Canadian personnel were already on their way back to Canada.
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“Canada firmly condemns the escalating violence, and we are heartbroken at the situation the Afghan people find themselves in today,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
The ministry added that the embassy would reopen once conditions allowed a resumption of normal activities under adequate security.
聯合國安理會周一召開會議，阿富汗總統逃離“防止流血”
阿富汗總統阿斯拉夫·加尼逃離阿富汗後，塔利班稱不會有過渡政府並要求立即控制
通過路透社，耶路撒冷郵報STAFF
2021 年 8 月 15 日 22:13
CH-46 海騎士軍用運輸直升機飛越阿富汗喀布爾
（照片來源：路透社/STRINGER）
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在阿富汗總統逃亡和塔利班奪取喀布爾控制權後，聯合國安理會將於週一召開阿富汗問題會議。英國首相鮑里斯·約翰遜還召集北約北大西洋理事會開會，討論這一引起世界關注的迅速發展的危機。
週日早些時候，塔利班武裝分子進入首都喀布爾後，總統阿什拉夫·加尼離開了阿富汗，在被美國領導的軍隊驅逐二十年後，他們重新掌權。當他們進入喀布爾時，美國駐阿富汗大使館報告說，喀布爾機場已經起火。
總統後來在臉書上發文說：“今天我遇到了一個艱難的選擇。我不得不面對武裝的塔利班，他們想要進入宮殿或離開這個國家，我在過去的 20 年裡一直致力於保護和培養。如果放任不管，無數愛國者將殉難，喀布爾市將被摧毀，導致這座擁有600萬人口的城市發生重大人道主義災難。塔利班已明確表示準備對所有人進行血腥襲擊。喀布爾和喀布爾人民驅逐我。為了防止流血事件，我決定離開。”
政府代理內政部長阿卜杜勒·薩塔爾·米爾扎卡瓦 (Abdul Sattar Mirzakawal) 曾表示，權力將移交給過渡政府。
兩名塔利班官員周日告訴路透社，阿富汗不會有過渡政府，該組織期待權力完全移交。
阿富汗高級和平官員阿卜杜拉·阿卜杜拉在周日的視頻信息中將阿什拉夫·加尼描述為阿富汗前總統。
在塔利班叛亂分子進入首都喀布爾幾個小時後，他將阿富汗目前的局勢歸咎於加尼。
據多哈一名官員稱，塔利班的毛拉阿卜杜勒·加尼·巴拉達爾正準備抵達阿富汗。早些時候，代理內政部長阿卜杜勒·薩塔爾·米爾扎克瓦爾（Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal）在電視講話中表示，將進行和平過渡，但尚未確認任何細節。
三位外交消息人士周日表示，在塔利班武裝分子聚集在喀布爾附近時，美國學者、前阿富汗內政部長阿里·艾哈邁德·賈拉利可能會被任命為喀布爾臨時政府的負責人。
消息人士稱，目前尚不清楚塔利班是否已對賈拉利的任命做出最終同意，但他被視為監督權力移交的一個可能可以接受的妥協人物。
加尼總統週六表示，他正在與當地領導人和國際合作夥伴就局勢進行緊急磋商，並與美國阿富汗和解問題特別代表扎爾邁哈利勒扎德以及北約高級官員舉行了緊急會談。
多哈的一名塔利班領導人說，在閃電般地向首都推進後，叛亂組織命令其戰鬥人員不要使用暴力，允許任何尋求離開的人安全通行，並要求婦女前往保護區。塔利班戰士還被命令站在喀布爾的所有入境點。
據一名塔利班官員稱，塔利班戰士已經完全包圍了喀布爾。他說，喀布爾的哈米德卡爾扎伊國際機場以及阿富汗醫院將繼續照常運作。
這位官員告訴路透社：“我們不希望在我們負責的過程中傷害或殺害一個無辜的阿富汗平民。” “但我們還沒有宣布停火，”他補充說。這位官員呼籲阿富汗軍隊停止開火，並允許所有平民和外國人安全離開喀布爾。他還指出，聖戰者組織尚未在喀布爾殺死或傷害任何人。
一名發言人周日表示，塔利班希望在未來幾天內實現權力的和平過渡，因為叛亂分子幾乎沒有抵抗地抵達阿富汗首都喀布爾。
這位發言人在接受 BBC 採訪時說：“我們向人們，特別是喀布爾市的人們保證，他們的財產和生活是安全的。” “我們的領導層指示我們的部隊留在喀布爾城門口，不要進入這座城市。”
這位發言人對未來政府的幾個方面發表了評論，因為他們正在為權力的和平過渡做準備。
發言人說，喀布爾的警察和官員已經逃離。
塔利班的發言人說，塔利班的處決、石刑和截肢等懲罰政策將取決於法院。此外，阿富汗媒體將被允許批評任何人，據發言人稱，他還警告媒體“沉迷於人格暗殺”。
關於未來塔利班政府對婦女的政策，他們表示，阿富汗婦女將被允許獨自離開家，並有機會接受教育和工作。此外，塔利班“無意報復政府和軍事人員，所有為國家服務的人都將得到原諒”，發言人說。
由於恐懼而想要離開該國的阿富汗平民被要求留在阿富汗。“喀布爾的外國人如果願意就應該離開，或者在下周向塔利班管理人員登記他們的存在，”一名官員說。
一名阿富汗談判代表說，包括高級官員阿卜杜拉·阿卜杜拉在內的阿富汗政府代表團將於週日前往卡塔爾，會見塔利班代表。
喀布爾談判小組成員法齊·庫菲向路透社證實，代表團將在海灣國家會見塔利班。
一位熟悉此事的消息人士告訴路透社，阿富汗代表團和塔利班代表將討論權力移交，並補充說美國官員也將參與其中。
喀布爾周圍傳來數聲槍響。據阿富汗總統府推特賬號顯示，阿富汗安全和國防力量目前已控制住局勢。
塔利班的一名發言人周日表示，塔利班還命令其戰鬥人員進入阿富汗首都喀布爾，以防止在當地警察離開他們的崗位後發生搶劫。
Zabihullah Mujahid 發表聲明是在一位主要的阿富汗和平特使說總統阿什拉夫·加尼 (Ashraf Ghani) 已離開該國後不久發表的。
然而，喀布爾醫院在推特上說，週日在喀布爾郊區的衝突中有 40 多人受傷。
“大多數（被帶到醫院的人）來自#Qarabagh 地區的戰鬥，”它說，但沒有提供任何衝突的進一步細節。它沒有提到任何死亡人數。
週日早些時候，叛亂分子未經戰鬥就佔領了東部城市賈拉拉巴德，使他們控制了通往內陸阿富汗的主要高速公路之一。他們還接管了附近與巴基斯坦的托爾卡姆邊境哨所，使喀布爾的哈米德卡爾扎伊國際機場成為離開阿富汗但仍由政府控制的唯一途徑。
Kabul breached: Taliban seize presidential palace, declare 'war is over'
The Taliban said there will be no transitional government and demanded immediate control after Afghan president Asraf Ghani fled the country
By REUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
AUGUST 15, 2021 23:56
CH-46 Sea Knight military transport helicopter flies over Kabul, Afghanistan
(photo credit: REUTERS/STRINGER)
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The Taliban Islamist insurgency group has seized control of the presidential palace in Kabul and is set to declare that the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," according to footage obtained by Al Jazeera.
The Taliban's spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the war was over, and said they vow to provide safety for those in diplomatic missions.
The Islamist group seized the presidential palace following the flight of President Ashraf Ghani, who reportedly fled to Tashkent in Uzbekistan. According to the Taliban's spokesperson, nobody expected Ghani would flee, not even those close to him.
The United Nations Security Council is set to convene Monday on Afghanistan after the country's president fled and the Taliban seizes control of Kabul. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had also called NATO’s North Atlantic Council to meet on the burgeoning crisis that has captured the world's attention.
President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan after Taliban fighters entered the capital Kabul earlier on Sunday, capping their return to power two decades after being forced out by US-led forces. As they entered Kabul, the US embassy in Afghanistan reported that Kabul airport has been taking fire.
The president later posted on Facebook saying, "Today I came across a tough choice. I had to face the armed Taliban who want to enter the palace or leave the country I have dedicated my life to protecting and nurturing for the last 20 years. If left unchecked, countless patriots would be martyred and the city of Kabul would be devastated, resulting in a major humanitarian catastrophe in the 6-million-strong city. The Taliban had made it clear that they were ready to carry out a bloody attack on all of Kabul and the people of Kabul to oust me. In order to prevent a flood of bloodshed, I decided to leave."
The government's acting interior minister, Abdul Sattar Mirzakawal, had said that power would be handed over to a transitional administration.
Two Taliban officials told Reuters on Sunday there would be no transitional government in Afghanistan and that the group expects a complete handover of power.
Top Afghan peace official Abdullah Abdullah described Ashraf Ghani as Afghanistan's former president in a video message on Sunday.
He blamed Ghani for the current situation in Afghanistan, hours after Taliban insurgents entered the capital Kabul.
Taliban's Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is preparing to arrive in Afghanistan, according to an official in Doha. Earlier, acting Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said in a televised address that a peaceful transition would take place but no details have as yet been confirmed.
Ali Ahmad Jalali, a US-based academic and former Afghan interior minister, is likely to be named to head an interim administration in Kabul, three diplomatic sources said on Sunday as Taliban fighters gathered around the city.
It was not immediately clear whether the Taliban had given their final agreement to Jalali's appointment but he was seen as a potentially acceptable compromise figure to oversee the transition of power, the sources said.
President Ghani, who said on Saturday he was in urgent consultations with local leaders and international partners on the situation, held emergency talks with US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad as well as top NATO officials.
After its lightning advance on the capital, the insurgent group ordered its fighters to refrain from violence, allow safe passage to anyone seeking to leave and request women to head to protected areas, said a Taliban leader in Doha. Taliban fighters were also ordered to stand at all entry points of Kabul.
Taliban fighters have completely encircled Kabul, according to a Taliban official. Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, as well as Afghan hospitals, will continue to function as usual, he stated.
"We don't want a single, innocent Afghan civilian to be injured or killed as we take charge," the official told Reuters. "But we have not declared a ceasefire," he added. The official called on Afghan forces to stop gunfire and allow a safe passage out of Kabul to all civilians and foreigners. He also noted Mujahideen have not killed or injured anyone in Kabul yet.
Taliban expects a peaceful transition of power in the next few days, a spokesperson said on Sunday, as the insurgents reached Afghanistan's capital Kabul with little resistance.
"We assure the people, particularly in the city of Kabul, that their properties, their lives are safe," the spokesman said in an interview with the BBC. "Our leadership had instructed our forces to remain at the gates of Kabul, not to enter the city."
The spokesperson has commented on several aspects of the future government, as they prepare for a peaceful transition of power.
The spokesperson said that police and officials in Kabul have fled.
Taliban's policy on punishments, such as execution, stoning, and amputation will be up to courts, the spokesperson said. In addition, Afghan media will be allowed to criticize anyone, according to the spokesperson, who has also warned the media of "indulging in character assassination."
On the future Taliban government's policy towards women, they stated Afghan women will be allowed to leave homes alone, as well as have access to education and work. In addition, Taliban "does not intend to take revenge on government and military personnel, and all those who have served the state will be forgiven," according to the spokesperson.
Afghan civilians who want to leave the country due to fear were asked to remain in Afghanistan. "Foreigners in Kabul should leave if they wish to, or register their presence in the coming week with Taliban administrators," an official said.
An Afghanistan government delegation, including senior official Abdullah Abdullah, will travel to Qatar on Sunday to meet with representatives of the Taliban, an Afghanistan negotiator said.
Fawzi Koofi, a member of the Kabul negotiating team, confirmed to Reuters the delegation would meet with the Taliban in the Gulf state.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters the Afghan delegation and Taliban representatives would discuss a transition of power, adding that US officials would also be involved.
A number of gunshots were heard around Kabul. according to the Afghan President's Office Twitter account, Afghanistan's security and defense forces currently have the situation under control.
The Taliban has also ordered its fighters to enter the Afghan capital Kabul to prevent looting after local police deserted their posts, a spokesman for the militant group said on Sunday.
The statement by Zabihullah Mujahid came shortly after a leading Afghan peace envoy said President Ashraf Ghani had left the country.
However, Kabul Hospital said on Twitter that more than 40 people were wounded in clashes on the outskirts of Kabul on Sunday.
"Most (people brought to the hospital) came from fighting in the #Qarabagh area," it said, without giving any further details of the clashes. It made no reference to any fatalities.
Earlier on Sunday, the insurgents captured the eastern city of Jalalabad without a fight, giving them control of one of the main highways into landlocked Afghanistan. They also took over the nearby Torkham border post with Pakistan, leaving Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul the only way out of Afghanistan that is still in government hands.
世界對塔利班接管作出反應，美國增派1000名士兵
隨著美國增派 1,000 名士兵撤離人員，全球多個國家對塔利班入侵該國作出反應。
通過路透
2021 年 8 月 15 日 23:48
2019 年 1 月 15 日，隸屬於愛荷華州國民警衛隊第 101 堅決支持保障旅和第 10 山地第 2-14 步兵營的士兵登上一架支奴干直升機前往阿富汗執行任務。第 1 中尉 Verniccia Ford/美國
（照片來源：VERNICCIA FORD/美國陸軍/通過路透社提供的資料）
廣告
週日，塔利班戰士完全包圍了喀布爾。全球多個國家對這一令人震驚的消息做出了反應：
美國
一名美國官員周日表示，五角大樓授權增派 1,000 名士兵幫助從喀布爾撤離，從而使預計在阿富汗的總兵力暫時達到 6,000 人。
這位不願透露姓名的官員說，額外的 1,000 名士兵將來自已經待命的第 82 空降師。
美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯週日表示，駐喀布爾大使館的工作人員正在離開該設施並前往機場。
美國外交官正被直升飛機運送到該市的機場，美國軍隊正在那裡提供安全保障，因為面對激進分子的閃電般的推進，美國人及其當地盟友和其他外國人紛紛逃離。
消息人士告訴路透社，大多數美國員工將在未來一兩天內從喀布爾撤離。
“我們正在努力確保我們的人員安全可靠。我們正在將大使館的男女人員搬遷到機場的某個地點，”布林肯說。
布林肯補充說，已派出更多美軍，以“安全有序地”將美國官員趕出該國，同時保持“核心外交存在”。
在美國是不可能改變其軍事戰略在喀布爾，除非塔利班衝擊使館的撤離。
美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯表示，阿富汗軍隊根本無法保衛國家，留在阿富汗不符合美國的利益。
布林肯說，華盛頓向阿富汗政府軍的四個美國政府投資了數十億美元，使他們比塔利班更有優勢，但他們未能擊退塔利班的進攻。
“事實上，我們已經看到軍隊無法保衛國家，”布林肯說。“而且這發生的速度比我們預期的要快。”
布林肯表示，美國告訴塔利班，如果乾涉美國人員，將“迅速而果斷地做出反應”。
美國駐喀布爾大使館週日在安全警報中表示，阿富汗首都的安全局勢正在迅速變化，包括在機場，有報導稱美軍協助撤離大多數美國人員時發生槍擊事件。
“有報導稱機場起火；因此我們指示美國公民就地避難，”大使館說。
美國參議院多數黨領袖查克舒默週日表示，美國在阿富汗的首要重點應該是安全地讓美國人員和支持美國的阿富汗人離開阿富汗。
舒默在新聞發布會上說，過去一周他多次與拜登政府談過，要盡一切努力讓“幫助我們士兵的勇敢阿富汗人”離開阿富汗。
北約
軍事聯盟週日表示，隨著塔利班叛亂分子進入阿富汗首都，北約正在維持其在喀布爾的外交存在，並幫助保持該市機場的運行。
北約秘書長延斯斯托爾滕貝格在推特上說：“北約正在幫助保持喀布爾機場的開放，以促進和協調疏散。”
斯托爾滕貝格說，他與英國首相鮑里斯·約翰遜以及加拿大、丹麥和荷蘭的外交部長討論了阿富汗迅速演變的局勢。
塔利班叛亂分子週日進入喀布爾，並表示他們預計將在幾天內掌權。
一名北約官員告訴路透社，該聯盟將維持其在喀布爾的外交存在。這位官員沒有回答有關北約是否計劃召開危機會議討論阿富汗局勢的問題。
“北約一直在評估阿富汗的事態發展，”這位官員說，並補充說，北約人員的安全至關重要，北約將繼續根據需要進行調整。
將近二十年後，北約今年夏天完成了在阿富汗的軍事行動，並從該國撤出了大部分軍隊。
該聯盟仍在喀布爾設有外交代表機構。北約發言人周五以安全問題為由拒絕提供有關代表的細節，以回應路透社的要求。
北約總部位於布魯塞爾，也是協調阿富汗國家措施的論壇，例如北約大使周五討論的撤離公民問題。
英國
英國首相鮑里斯·約翰遜週日表示，沒有人應該承認塔利班是阿富汗政府，並補充說該國很快就會有一個新政府。
“我們不希望任何人雙邊承認塔利班，”他在採訪片段中說。“我們希望盡可能在所有志同道合的人之間達成統一的立場。”
英國議會將於週三在夏季休會期間被召回，以討論阿富汗局勢，它週日在推特上發布。
“議長已批准政府要求於 8 月 18 日星期三上午 9 點 30 分就阿富汗局勢召回眾議院，”下議院賬戶在推特上寫道。
他的唐寧街辦公室表示，英國首相鮑里斯·約翰遜還將召開緊急會議，討論阿富汗的最新事態發展。
一位發言人說：“總理今天下午晚些時候召開了 COBR 會議，討論阿富汗局勢。”
英國外交大臣多米尼克·拉布週日表示，他對阿富汗的未來深表關切，並呼籲塔利班叛亂分子在進入首都喀布爾時結束暴力。
拉佈在推特上寫道：“與庫雷希 FM 分享我對阿富汗未來的深切擔憂，”他指的是巴基斯坦外交部長沙阿·馬哈茂德·庫雷希。
“同意國際社會團結一致告訴塔利班暴力必須結束，人權必須得到保護，這一點至關重要。”
倫敦外交部周日表示，隨著塔利班進入阿富汗首都，英國駐阿富汗大使仍在喀布爾，工作人員正在盡一切努力使希望離開該國的英國人能夠離開該國。
外交部發言人說：“為了應對當地局勢，我們減少了外交存在，但我們的大使仍留在喀布爾，英國政府工作人員繼續努力為英國國民和我們的阿富汗工作人員提供援助。”
俄羅斯
據塔斯社週日報導，俄羅斯駐阿富汗首都喀布爾大使館認為該市的事態發展沒有威脅，目前沒有必要撤離。
國際文傳電訊社週日援引俄羅斯駐喀布爾大使館發言人的話說，俄羅斯準備與阿富汗臨時政府合作。
據國際文傳電訊社報導，大使館發言人早些時候表示沒有立即撤離阿富汗首都的必要，並表示俄羅斯正在參與阿富汗的政治接觸。
“喀布爾的局勢有點緊張，但該市沒有戰爭，”俄羅斯大使館告訴塔斯社。
塔利班週日承諾保證俄羅斯駐喀布爾大使館的安全。
“我們與俄羅斯有著良好的關係，總的來說，我們的政策是確保俄羅斯和其他大使館的安全運作，”塔利班援引一名塔利班官員的話說。
據俄羅斯新聞機構報導，俄羅斯外交部表示正在關注阿富汗的事態發展，並與大使館保持聯繫。
俄羅斯國家通訊社週日援引俄羅斯外交部的話說，莫斯科尚未承認塔利班叛亂分子是阿富汗的新合法當局。
該部還告訴俄新社，阿富汗總統阿什拉夫·加尼 (Ashraf Ghani) 離開他的國家後不太可能前往俄羅斯。
加拿大
根據一份聲明，加拿大周日表示將暫時中止其在喀布爾的外交行動，其人員正在回家的路上，因為塔利班叛亂分子在接管該市後的幾天內就出現了。
外交部長馬克·加諾在聲明中說：“阿富汗局勢正在迅速演變，對我們確保任務安全的能力構成嚴重挑戰。” 他補充說，加拿大人員“現在正在安全返回加拿大的路上”。
瑞典
瑞典外交部長安林德週日表示，瑞典駐阿富汗首都喀布爾的大使館人員將立即離開，預計撤離將於週一完成。
林德在新聞發布會上說：“所有部署的員工都將在明天之前離開。” “瑞典移民局正在努力將當地僱用的員工帶回家。”
在阿富汗賈拉拉巴德的普什圖尼斯坦廣場地區，一輛皮卡車後面揮舞著塔利班旗幟的塔利班武裝分子開過一條擁擠的街道（圖片來源：REUTERS）
德國
在塔利班叛亂分子進入阿富汗首都後，德國周日關閉了其在喀布爾的大使館，並準備向阿富汗派遣 A400M 軍用運輸機，以盡可能多地撤離德國人和當地的阿富汗幫手。
德國外交部長海科·馬斯週日對記者說：“我們正在盡一切努力讓我們的公民和我們的前當地工作人員在未來幾天內離開阿富汗。”
馬斯說，德國大使館工作人員已經被轉移到喀布爾機場的軍事區。他補充說，未來幾天，核心員工將留在那裡，以幫助進一步疏散。
國防部長安妮格萊特·克蘭普-卡倫鮑爾表示，軍用飛機將於週日晚上和周一早上離開德國空軍基地溫斯托夫，前往喀布爾。
據知情人士透露，兩架飛機將把撤離人員送往烏茲別克斯坦首都塔什幹。馬斯只說他們會去阿富汗的鄰國。
他說，從那裡，人們將乘坐民用包機前往德國。
他說，德國、美國和其他國際夥伴已同意在疏散工作中相互支持。
外交部周五表示，除了仍在那里工作的政府官員之外，只有不到 100 名德國人留在阿富汗。週日仍不清楚有多少當地幫手將被空運出去。
“只要當地情況允許，我們的目標就是讓盡可能多的人撤離，”克蘭普-卡倫鮑爾說。
一位政府消息人士談到至少有 1,000 名前阿富汗僱員，包括近親，但補充說這只是粗略估計。
一個由德國軍隊建立的支持網絡將政府規定下符合搬遷條件的人數定為 2,000 人。
阿拉伯聯合酋長國
阿拉伯聯合酋長國外交部周日表示，它正在努力促進外國外交人員通過海灣阿拉伯國家的機場從阿富汗撤離。
阿聯酋航空公司表示，由於機場跑道暫時關閉，週日飛往喀布爾的航班被改道，而迪拜國有航空公司 flydubai 則暫停服務。
飛機追踪網站 FlightRadar24 顯示，這架阿聯酋航空的波音 777-300 航班在阿富汗首都上空盤旋，然後返回阿拉伯聯合酋長國的迪拜。
阿聯酋航空發言人說：“我們正在密切關注阿富汗局勢的發展，並與所有相關當局密切合作，以確保我們的服務安全運行。”
Flydubai早些時候表示，週日飛往喀布爾的波音737航班返回迪拜，該航空公司已暫停對該市的服務，直至另行通知。
卡塔爾
卡塔爾週日呼籲阿富汗和平移交權力，為包括阿富汗所有各方並實現安全與穩定的全面政治解決方案鋪平道路。
海灣阿拉伯國家外交部在一份聲明中還強調需要在阿富汗立即和持久停火併保證平民的安全。
意大利
外交部表示，意大利駐喀布爾大使館工作人員將於週日返回羅馬。
一名女發言人說，一架軍用飛機將於當地時間 21 點 30 分離開喀布爾，並補充說，大多數大使館工作人員已於週六離開大樓，目前正在機場。
她拒絕透露大使是否會在周日的航班上離開，並表示現在說意大利實際上已經關閉了大使館還為時過早。
荷蘭
荷蘭外交部發言人周日表示，荷蘭已將其駐喀布爾大使館遷至靠近該市國際機場的地點，因為海牙迅速採取行動撤離其剩餘的阿富汗翻譯和當地工作人員。
同樣在周日，荷蘭國防部表示已向喀布爾派遣了一架軍用飛機，作為疏散剩餘人員的努力的一部分。荷蘭政府表示，鑑於塔利班的快速發展，它將盡可能長時間地保持其喀布爾大使館的功能開放。
法國
法國武裝部隊週日在一份聲明中表示，法國將在夜間和周一向阿拉伯聯合酋長國派遣兩架軍用運輸機，以疏散在阿富汗的法國公民。
外交部長讓-伊夫·勒德里昂在一份聲明中說，法國正在將其阿富汗大使館遷至靠近喀布爾機場的地方，並補充說它將繼續運作，以疏散所有可能仍在該國的法國公民。
勒德里安說：“根據共和國總統的命令，武裝部隊部將在未來幾個小時內向阿拉伯聯合酋長國部署軍事增援部隊和空中力量，以便開始向阿布扎比的第一批疏散。”
尼泊爾
尼泊爾呼籲撤離至少1500名在阿富汗的尼泊爾人
尼泊爾政府週日呼籲疏散大約 1,500 名在阿富汗大使館和國際援助組織擔任安全人員的尼泊爾人。
“我們已正式致函大使館，要求他們撤離，”尼泊爾外交部發言人塞瓦·拉姆薩爾在加德滿都告訴路透社。
拉姆薩爾說，政府還成立了一個小組，以確定在喀布爾和阿富汗其他地方工作的尼泊爾人的確切人數。
“政府也會為他們的撤離做出安排，”她說。
尼泊爾在阿富汗沒有外交機構，但成千上萬的尼泊爾男子在該國的外交區擔任保安。
愛沙尼亞、挪威
外交官說，愛沙尼亞和挪威已要求盡快召開由 15 個成員國組成的聯合國安理會阿富汗問題會議。
阿爾巴尼亞、科索沃
阿爾巴尼亞和科索沃兩國周日表示，阿爾巴尼亞和科索沃已接受美國的要求，暫時接收尋求籤證進入美國的阿富汗難民。
在地拉那，總理埃迪·拉瑪·拉馬錶示，美國總統喬·拜登政府已要求北約成員國阿爾巴尼亞評估它是否可以作為一些最終目的地是美國的阿富汗難民的過境國。
“我們不會說‘不’，不僅因為我們偉大的盟友要求我們這樣做，而且因為我們是阿爾巴尼亞，”拉瑪在 Facebook 上說。
消息人士告訴路透社，拜登政府曾與科索沃和阿爾巴尼亞等國討論保護美國附屬阿富汗人免受塔利班報復，直到他們完成美國簽證的批准程序。
在科索沃，Vjosa Osmani 總統表示，自 7 月中旬以來，政府一直在與美國當局就安置阿富汗難民的問題進行接觸。
奧斯曼尼在她的 Facebook 賬戶上說：“我毫不猶豫地……條件允許地同意了那項人道主義行動。”
奧斯曼尼說，阿富汗難民將接受美國安全當局的審查，並補充說他們將留在科索沃，直到他們的美國移民簽證文件得到安排。
火雞
土耳其外長恰武什奧盧週日表示，土耳其駐阿富汗首都喀布爾大使館將繼續運作。
“我們已經為想要離開阿富汗的土耳其公民做好了必要的準備……我們在喀布爾的大使館繼續運作，”恰武什奧盧說。
沙特阿拉伯
國家通訊社 SPA 稱，隨著塔利班叛亂分子週日進入阿富汗首都，沙特阿拉伯已撤離其駐喀布爾外交使團的所有成員。
它說：“王國駐阿富汗首都喀布爾大使館的所有成員都已撤離，他們已經回家。”
歐洲聯盟
歐洲理事會主席查爾斯·米歇爾週日表示，隨著塔利班叛亂分子進入阿富汗首都，歐盟工作人員和公民的安全是該集團的當務之急。
“歐盟公民、工作人員及其家人的安全是短期內的優先事項。同樣清楚的是，需要吸取許多教訓，”米歇爾在推特上說。
聯合國
他的發言人在一份聲明中說，聯合國秘書長安東尼奧·古特雷斯週日敦促“塔利班和所有其他各方保持最大克制，以保護生命”並確保人道主義需求能夠得到解決。
“他呼籲塔利班和所有其他各方確保國際人道主義法以及所有人的權利和自由得到尊重和保護，”聯合國發言人斯蒂芬·杜加里克說。
World reacts to Taliban takeover, US sends 1,000 more troops
Multiple nations worldwide react to the Taliban invasion of the country as the US sends an additional 1,000 soldiers to evacuate personnel.
By REUTERS
AUGUST 16, 2021 00:03
Soldiers attached to the 101st Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade, Iowa National Guard and 10th Mountain, 2-14 Infantry Battalion, load onto a Chinook helicopter to head out on a mission in Afghanistan, January 15, 2019. 1st Lt. Verniccia Ford/U.S.
(photo credit: VERNICCIA FORD/U.S. ARMY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
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Taliban fighters completely encircled Kabul on Sunday. Multiple nations worldwide have reacted to the alarming news:
United States
The Pentagon authorized an additional 1,000 troops to help with the evacuation from Kabul, a US official said on Sunday, bringing the total number of troops expected in Afghanistan temporarily to 6,000.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the additional 1,000 troops would come from the 82nd Airborne Division, which had already been on standby.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that embassy staff in Kabul are leaving the facility and moving to the airport.
US diplomats were being ferried by helicopters to the city's airport, where US troops are being flown in to provide security amid an exodus of Americans and their local allies and other foreigners in the face of the militants' lightning advance.
Sources told Reuters that most US staff would be evacuated from Kabul in the coming day or two.
"We're working to make sure that our personnel are safe and secure. We're relocating the men and women of our embassy to a location at the airport," Blinken said.
More US forces had been sent in to get US officials out of the country "in a safe and orderly fashion" while maintaining a "core diplomatic presence," Blinken added.
The United States is unlikely to change its military strategy in Kabul unless the Taliban impact the evacuation of the embassy.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Afghan forces have simply been unable to defend the country, that it was not in the interests of the United States to remain in Afghanistan.
Blinken said Washington had invested billions of dollars over four US administrations in Afghan government forces, giving them advantages over the Taliban, but they have failed to beat back the Taliban's advance.
"The fact of the matter is we’ve seen that force has been unable to defend the country," Blinken said. "And that has happened more quickly than we anticipated."
Blinken stated that the US told the Taliban that there would be a "swift and decisive response" if it interfered with US personnel.
The US Embassy in Kabul said in a security alert on Sunday that the security situation in the Afghan capital was changing quickly, including at the airport, where there were reports of gunfire as US troops aid an evacuation of most US personnel.
"There are reports of the airport taking fire; therefore we are instructing US citizens to shelter in place," the embassy said.
The United States' top focus in Afghanistan should be on safely getting US personnel and Afghans who supported the United States out of the country, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Sunday.
Schumer told a press conference that he had talked repeatedly to the Biden administration in the past week about making every effort to get "brave Afghans who helped our soldiers" out of Afghanistan.
NATO
NATO is maintaining its diplomatic presence in Kabul and helping to keep the city's airport running, the military alliance said on Sunday as Taliban insurgents entered the Afghan capital.
"NATO is helping keep Kabul airport open to facilitate and coordinate evacuations," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter.
Stoltenberg said he had discussed the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Taliban insurgents entered Kabul on Sunday and said they expected to take power within days.
A NATO official told Reuters the alliance was maintaining its diplomatic presence in Kabul. The official did not respond to questions on whether NATO planned to hold a crisis meeting to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
"NATO is constantly assessing developments in Afghanistan," the official said, adding that the security of the alliance's personnel was paramount and NATO would continue to adjust as necessary.
After almost two decades, NATO this summer completed military operations in Afghanistan and withdrew most troops from the country.
The alliance still operates a diplomatic representation in Kabul. A NATO spokesperson on Friday declined to provide details on the representation, citing security concerns, in response to a Reuters request.
Headquartered in Brussels, NATO also serves as a forum to coordinate national measures in Afghanistan, such as the evacuation of citizens that was discussed by NATO ambassadors on Friday.
United Kingdom
Nobody should recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday, adding it was clear that there would be a new administration in the country very shortly.
"We don't want anybody bilaterally recognizing the Taliban," he said in an interview clip. "We want a united position amongst all the like-minded as far as we can get one."
Britain's parliament will be recalled from its summer recess on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, it posted on Twitter on Sunday.
"The Speaker has granted a request from the Government to recall the House at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday 18 August, in relation to the situation in Afghanistan," the House of Commons account tweeted.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will also convene an emergency meeting to discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan, his Downing Street office said.
"The prime minister has convened a COBR meeting for later this afternoon to discuss the situation in Afghanistan," a spokesperson said.
Britain's foreign minister Dominic Raab on Sunday said he was deeply concerned about the future of Afghanistan and called on the Taliban insurgents to end violence as they entered the capital city Kabul.
"Shared my deep concerns about the future for Afghanistan with FM Qureshi," Raab wrote on Twitter, referring to Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
"Agreed it is critical that the international community is united in telling the Taliban that the violence must end and human rights must be protected."
Britain's ambassador to Afghanistan is still in Kabul and staff are doing all they can to enable Britons who wish to leave the country to do so, the Foreign Office in London said on Sunday, as the Taliban entered the Afghan capital.
"We have reduced our diplomatic presence in response to the situation on the ground, but our Ambassador remains in Kabul and UK Government staff continue to work to provide assistance to British nationals and to our Afghan staff," a Foreign Office spokesperson said.
Russia
The Russian embassy in Afghanistan's capital Kabul sees no threat from developments in the city and no need to evacuate at the moment, TASS state news agency reported on Sunday.
Russia is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan's interim government, the Interfax news agency reported on Sunday, citing a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Kabul.
The spokesman for the embassy, which earlier said there was no immediate need to evacuate the Afghan capital, also said Russia was taking part in political contacts in Afghanistan, according to Interfax.
"The situation in Kabul is a bit tense but there is no war in the city," the Russian embassy told TASS.
The Taliban on Sunday pledged to guarantee safety for the Russian embassy in Kabul.
"We have good relations with Russia and our policy, in general, is to ensure safe conditions for operations of the Russian and other embassies," TASS quoted a Taliban official as saying.
The Russian foreign ministry said it was watching developments in Afghanistan and was in touch with the embassy, Russian news agencies reported.
Moscow does not yet recognize the Taliban insurgents as Afghanistan's new lawful authority, RIA state news agency quoted the Russian foreign ministry as saying on Sunday.
The ministry also told RIA that Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani was unlikely to head to Russia after leaving his country.
Canada
Canada on Sunday said it was temporarily suspending its diplomatic operations in Kabul and that its personnel were on their way back home, according to a statement, as Taliban insurgents appeared within days of taking over the city.
"The situation in Afghanistan is rapidly evolving and poses serious challenges to our ability to ensure the safety and security of our mission," Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said in the statement. Canadian personnel "are now safely on their way back to Canada," he added.
Sweden
Sweden's embassy personnel in the Afghan capital Kabul will leave immediately and the evacuation is expected to be completed on Monday, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Sunday.
"All deployed staff will be out by tomorrow," Linde told a news conference. "The Swedish Migration Agency is working to bring home the locally employed staff."
Talibant militants waving Taliban flag on the back of a pickup truck drive past a crowded street at Pashtunistan Square area in Jalalabad, Afghanistan (credit: REUTERS)
Germany
Germany on Sunday shuttered its embassy in Kabul and prepared to send A400M military transport planes to Afghanistan to evacuate as many Germans and local Afghan helpers as possible, after Taliban insurgents entered the Afghan capital.
"We are doing everything to enable our citizens and our former local staff to leave Afghanistan within the next days," German foreign minister Heiko Maas told journalists on Sunday.
German embassy staff have already been moved to a military part of Kabul airport, Maas said. Core staff will remain there in the coming days to help with further evacuations, he added.
Defense minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said military aircraft would leave German air base Wunstorf on Sunday night and Monday morning to head to Kabul.
According to a person familiar with the matter, the two planes will take evacuated people to Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent. Maas had said only that they would go to a country neighboring Afghanistan.
From there, the people will be taken to Germany on board civilian charter aircraft, he said.
Germany, the United States, and other international partners have agreed to support each other in their evacuation efforts, he said.
The foreign ministry had said on Friday that fewer than 100 Germans remained in Afghanistan beyond the government officials still working there. It was still unclear on Sunday how many local helpers would be flown out.
"It is our goal to get out as many people as possible as long as the situation on the ground allows it," Kramp-Karrenbauer said.
A government source spoke of at least 1,000 former Afghan employees, including close family members, but added that this was only a rough estimate.
A support network founded by German troops put the number of those eligible for relocation under government rules at 2,000 people.
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry on Sunday said it was working on facilitating the evacuation of foreign diplomatic staff from Afghanistan through airports in the Gulf Arab state.
Emirates airline said a flight to Kabul on Sunday was diverted due to the temporary closure of the runway at the airport, while fellow Dubai state-owned carrier flydubai suspended services.
The Emirates Boeing 777-300 flight circled over the Afghanistan capital, aircraft tracking website FlightRadar24 showed, before returning to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
"We are monitoring developments around the situation in Afghanistan and are working closely with all the relevant authorities to ensure the safe operation of our services," an Emirates spokesperson said.
Flydubai said earlier that a Boeing 737 service to Kabul on Sunday returned to Dubai mid-flight and that the airline had suspended its services to the city until further notice.
Qatar
Qatar called on Sunday for a peaceful transition of power in Afghanistan that paves the way for a comprehensive political solution that includes all Afghan parties and realizes security and stability.
The Gulf Arab state's foreign ministry in a statement also stressed the need for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Afghanistan and to guarantee safety of civilians.
Italy
The Italian embassy staff in Kabul will return to Rome on Sunday, the foreign ministry said.
A military aircraft will leave Kabul at 21:30 local time, a spokeswoman said, adding that most of the embassy staff had left the building on Saturday and are currently at the airport.
She declined to say whether the ambassador would be among those leaving on Sunday's flight and said it was premature to say that Italy had actually closed its embassy.
Netherlands
The Netherlands has moved its embassy in Kabul to a location close to the city's international airport as The Hague moves quickly to evacuate its remaining Afghan translators and local staff, a spokesman for the foreign ministry said on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, the Dutch defense ministry said it had sent a military plane to Kabul as part of efforts to evacuate remaining personnel. The Dutch government says it will keep its Kabul embassy functions open as long as possible in light of the Taliban's rapid advances.
France
France will dispatch two military transport planes to the United Arab Emirates during the night and on Monday for the evacuation of French citizens in Afghanistan, the Armed Forces Ministry said Sunday in a statement.
France is moving its Afghan embassy close to Kabul airport, adding it will remain operational for the evacuation of all French citizens who still might be in the country, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement.
"By order of the President of the Republic, the Armed Forces Ministry will deploy in the coming hours military reinforcements and aerial forces to the United Arab Emirates, so that the first evacuations to Abu Dhabi might begin," Le Drian said.
Nepal
Nepal calls for evacuation of at least 1,500 Nepalis in Afghanistan
Nepal's government on Sunday called for the evacuation of an estimated 1,500 Nepalis working as security staff with embassies and with international aid groups in Afghanistan.
"We have formally written to embassies requesting them for the evacuation," Nepal Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sewa Lamsal told Reuters in Kathmandu.
Lamsal said the government has also set up a panel to determine the exact number of Nepalis working in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan.
"The government will make arrangements for their evacuation also," she said.
Nepal does not have a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan but thousands of Nepali men work as security guards in diplomatic districts of the country.
Estonia, Norway
Estonia and Norway have requested the 15-member United Nations Security Council meeting on Afghanistan as soon as possible, diplomats said.
Albania, Kosovo
Albania and Kosovo have accepted a US request to temporarily take in Afghan refugees seeking visas to enter the United States, the country two countries said on Sunday.
In Tirana, Prime Minister Edi Rama Rama said US President Joe Biden's administration had asked fellow NATO member Albania to assess whether it could serve as a transit country for a number of Afghan refugees whose final destination is the United States.
"We will not say 'No', not just because our great allies ask us to, but because we are Albania," Rama said on Facebook.
Sources had told Reuters that Biden's administration had held discussions with such countries as Kosovo and Albania about protecting US-affiliated Afghans from Taliban reprisals until they completed the process of approval of their US visas.
In Kosovo, President Vjosa Osmani said the government had been in contact with the US authorities about housing Afghan refugees since mid-July.
"Without any hesitation and … conditioning I gave my consent to that humanitarian operation," Osmani said on her Facebook account.
Osmani said Afghan refugees would be vetted by the US security authorities, and added they would stay in Kosovo until their documentation for US immigration visas was arranged.
Turkey
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that the Turkish embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul would continue its operations.
"We have made necessary preparations for the Turkish citizens who want to leave Afghanistan … Our embassy in Kabul continues its operations," Cavusoglu said.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has evacuated all members of its diplomatic mission in Kabul, as the Taliban insurgents entered the Afghan capital on Sunday, state news agency SPA said.
"All members of the Kingdom's embassy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, have been evacuated, and they have arrived home," it said.
European Union
European Council President Charles Michel said on Sunday the security of European Union staff and citizens was the bloc's immediate priority, as Taliban insurgents entered the Afghan capital.
"Security of EU citizens, staff and their families is a priority in short term. Equally clear that many lessons will need to be drawn," Michel said in a Twitter post.
United Nations
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday urged the Taliban and all other parties to exercise the utmost restraint in order to protect lives and expressed particular concern about the future of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Taliban insurgents entered Kabul https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/talibans-rapid-advance-across-afghanistan-2021-08-10 and President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan on Sunday, bringing the Islamist militants close to taking over the country two decades after they were overthrown by a US-led invasion.
"There continue to be reports of serious human rights abuses and violations in the communities most affected by the fighting," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, adding that Guterres "is particularly concerned about the future of women and girls, whose hard-won rights must be protected."
"All abuses must stop. He calls on the Taliban and all other parties to ensure … the rights and freedoms of all people are respected and protected," Dujarric said.
Under Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001, women could not work, girls were not allowed to attend school and women had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative if they wanted to venture out of their homes.
Guterres will brief the UN Security Council on Monday on Afghanistan. In an Aug. 3 statement, agreed by consensus, the 15 council members "declared that they do not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate" (Taliban rule).
Afghanistan's UN ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, appointed last month, told Reuters on Sunday: "The message I sent to the council today is to do everything to prevent further violence and ensure an orderly transition to a transitional government."
Guterres warned on Friday that Afghanistan was "spinning out of control" and called on the Taliban to halt their offensive.
The United Nations has about 3,000 national staff and about 300 international staff on the ground in Afghanistan. On Friday, Dujarric said some staff had been relocated to Kabul but that none had been evacuated from the country.
"The United Nations remains determined to contribute to a peaceful settlement, promote the human rights of all Afghans, notably women and girls, and provide life-saving humanitarian assistance and critical support to civilians in need," Dujarric said on Sunday.
He said the need for assistance is "surging while the operating environment becomes more restricted due to the escalation of the conflict." Guterres called on all parties to ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid access.
In April, the Taliban stepped up a campaign to defeat the US-backed government as foreign forces withdrew after 20 years of war. US-backed Afghan forces toppled the Taliban from power in late 2001 for refusing to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
巴勒斯坦人警告：以色列，哈馬斯走向另一場戰爭
據巴勒斯坦消息人士稱，緊張局勢和卡塔爾援助談判的失敗使以色列和哈馬斯更接近另一場公開衝突。
由哈利·阿布·托梅
2021 年 8 月 15 日 22:16
巴勒斯坦哈馬斯武裝分子參加 2021 年 5 月 22 日在加沙城舉行的反以色列集會
（圖片來源：路透社/穆罕默德·塞勒姆）
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巴勒斯坦人周日警告說，以色列和哈馬斯正走向另一輪戰鬥，因為國際調解人似乎未能在將卡塔爾援助資金運往加沙地帶以及以色列放寬限制方面取得突破。
巴勒斯坦人說，以色列未能放鬆限制並促進在 5 月與哈馬斯的 11 天戰爭中被毀的房屋的重建，這意味著另一場軍事對抗的倒計時已經開始。
幾個巴勒斯坦派系定於週一在加沙舉行會議，討論在卡塔爾向大約 100,000 個巴勒斯坦家庭提供贈款沒有解決方案的情況下他們的下一步行動。
這些派別拒絕了以色列將放寬限制與交換囚犯協議聯繫起來的要求。自 2014 年以來，哈馬斯一直扣押著以色列國防軍士兵哈達爾·戈爾丁 (Hadar Goldin) 和奧隆·紹爾 (Oron Shaul) 的屍體。此外，哈馬斯還扣押著兩名於 2014 年和 2015 年自行進入加沙地帶的以色列公民。
巴勒斯坦民族權力機構堅持認為，其設在拉馬拉的政府應該是唯一負責交付卡塔爾資金和加沙地帶重建工作的一方。
然而，據報導，巴勒斯坦銀行拒絕將這筆錢轉移到加沙，因為害怕因資助恐怖主義而面臨訴訟。
接近哈馬斯的消息人士稱，調解員最近討論了通過聯合國轉移援助資金的可能性。
消息人士稱：“巴勒斯坦各派非常接近達成升級與以色列邊界局勢的決定，”並指出哈馬斯並不反對聯合國在卡塔爾資金轉移或重建工作中發揮作用。
消息人士稱，哈馬斯和包括巴勒斯坦伊斯蘭聖戰組織在內的其他派系已通知埃及、卡塔爾和聯合國調解員，加沙地帶局勢正處於爆炸的邊緣。
消息人士補充說：“各派正在舉行密集磋商，討論應對加沙地帶持續圍困的方法。”
2017 年，哈馬斯首席執行官伊斯梅爾·哈尼耶 (Ismail Haniyeh) 抵達加沙地帶南部的拉法邊境口岸時向媒體發表講話。 （圖片來源：ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90）
巴勒斯坦政治分析家哈桑·阿卜杜表示，以色列正在進行的“圍困”和“拖延”，以及調解努力的失敗，將促使巴勒斯坦各派將局勢升級。
阿卜杜告訴巴勒斯坦新聞網站 Donia al-Watan，自 5 月以色列-哈馬斯戰爭以來，加沙地帶的經濟危機已經升級。
他說，以加沙為基地的巴勒斯坦各派有多種選擇來回應以色列的“頑固”。
阿卜杜說，這些選擇包括與調解人聯繫以增加對以色列的壓力，以及在加沙 - 以色列邊境恢復示威活動。
他預測，與以色列的下一輪戰鬥將僅限於加沙地帶，“除非耶路撒冷有事態發展，這是地區戰爭的紅線。”
巴勒斯坦政治分析家 Hussam al-Dajani 說，巴勒斯坦各派別無選擇，只能做出回應，“鑑於可能導致民眾爆發的困難人道主義局勢。[與以色列的]軍事對抗不是各派的目標。它旨在引起全世界對加沙地帶居民的圍困和苦難的關注。”
巴勒斯坦以色列問題專家 Ahed Farawneh 告訴 Donia al-Watan，“加沙地帶的困難局勢表明，由於佔領正在逃避放鬆限制，因此事情正朝著升級的方向發展。”
Farawneh 說，他預計巴勒斯坦各派將決定“逐步升級，例如恢復‘夜間混亂’活動（沿以色列邊境）以及發射燃燒氣球和爆炸裝置。”
哈馬斯發言人哈澤姆·卡西姆週日表示，“繼續圍困將隨時導致爆炸。”
卡西姆說，巴勒斯坦各派將就此事宣布“明確立場”。“如果占領繼續加強對加沙地帶的圍困，該地區將出現真正的緊張局勢，”他說。“當巴勒斯坦抵抗組織看到對加沙地帶實施的這種圍困和集體懲罰時，他們不能袖手旁觀，這是我們人民過上自由和有尊嚴的生活的權利。我們不能在這個問題上妥協。”
卡西姆表示，加沙各派正在協調行動，並根據對局勢的了解研究下一步行動。
哈馬斯發言人補充說：“我們不會允許佔領勒索我們，以換取我們的正義事業，例如重建、援助進入、解除圍困以及保障人員和貨物的流動自由。”
由加沙地帶各種恐怖組織組成的人民抵抗委員會的 al-Nasser Salah al-Din 旅警告說，巴勒斯坦各派不會袖手旁觀，“鑑於以色列持續的頑固和傲慢”。
它說，巴勒斯坦各派“不會給敵人更多時間”來滿足他們的要求。該組織呼籲調解人立即進行干預，以防止事態升級，並迫使以色列遵守 5 月達成的諒解。
巴勒斯坦 al-Mezan 人權中心週日警告說，在國際社會“繼續無法履行其義務，特別是其重建加沙地帶和解除對其施加的圍困以確保其穩定的承諾之後，暴力再次發生”。政治和安全條件，而不是回到暴力衝突的領域。”
它警告說，加沙地帶的人道主義局勢是重新爆發衝突的真正導火索。
該中心指責以色列在戰後通過關閉過境點來推行對加沙地帶居民的集體懲罰政策。
“佔領當局繼續阻止大多數類型的工廠和工業車間工作所需的原材料和貨物進入，例如化學品、木材、家具產品和汽車，但製造過程中使用的某些材料除外。該中心在一份聲明中說：“清潔劑和塑料的數量增加，這導致失業人數和窮人人數增加。”
上週，領土政府活動協調員（COGAT）宣布，以色列將允許來自加沙的 1,000 名商人和 350 名商人進入以色列。此外，所有加沙貨物現在可以自五月戰爭結束以來首次進入以色列，COGAT 負責人 Ghassan Alian 宣布。
巴勒斯坦貨物入境委員會負責人拉伊德·法圖赫表示，巴勒斯坦人尚未收到允許進出加沙的貨物和商品清單。
“隨著圍困的繼續，加沙地帶上次侵略期間軍事襲擊的受害者失去家園的痛苦仍在繼續，因為房屋被完全摧毀的 8,500 名居民繼續流離失所，”根據巴勒斯坦人權中心。“此外，鑑於建築材料進入加沙地帶的持續禁令，大約 250,000 名房屋部分受損的居民無法修復他們的房屋。由於封鎖和以色列不斷升級的侵犯行為，加沙地帶的人道主義局勢繼續惡化。”
Palestinians warn: Israel, Hamas headed toward another war
Tensions and failed negotiations on Qatari aid are bringing Israel and Hamas closer toward another open conflict, according to Palestinian sources.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
AUGUST 15, 2021 22:16
Palestinian Hamas militants take part in an anti-Israel rally in Gaza City May 22, 2021
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
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Israel and Hamas are headed toward another round of fighting, as international mediators appear to have failed to achieve a breakthrough on bringing Qatari aid money to the Gaza Strip and on the easing of Israeli restrictions, Palestinians warned on Sunday.
Israel’s failure to ease restrictions and facilitate the reconstruction of homes destroyed during the 11-day war with Hamas in May means that the countdown for another military confrontation has begun, the Palestinians said.
Several Palestinian factions are scheduled to hold a meeting on Monday in Gaza to discuss their next moves in the absence of a solution to the delivery of the Qatari grants to some 100,000 Palestinian families.
The factions have rejected Israel’s demand to link the easing of restrictions to a prisoner exchange deal. Hamas has been holding the bodies of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul since 2014. In addition, Hamas is holding two Israeli citizens who entered the Gaza Strip on their own in 2014 and 2015.
The Palestinian Authority insists that its Ramallah-based government should be the only party responsible for the delivery of the Qatari funds and the reconstruction work in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian banks, however, have reportedly refused to transfer the money to Gaza for fear of being exposed to lawsuits for funding terrorism.
Sources close to Hamas said that the mediators recently discussed the possibility of transferring the aid money through the United Nations.
“The Palestinian factions are very close to reaching a decision to escalate the situation along the border with Israel,” the sources said, noting that Hamas was not opposed to the UN playing a role in the transfer of the Qatari funds or the reconstruction work.
The sources said that Hamas and other factions, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have informed Egyptian, Qatari and UN mediators that the situation in the Gaza Strip is on the brink of an explosion.
“The factions are holding intensive consultations to discuss ways of responding to the continued siege on the Gaza Strip,” the sources added.
HAMAS CHIEF Ismail Haniyeh speaks to the press upon his arrival at the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip in 2017. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)
Palestinian political analyst Hassan Abdo said that the ongoing Israeli “siege” and “procrastination,” and the failure of mediation efforts will drive the Palestinian factions to escalate the situation.
Abdo told the Palestinian news website Donia al-Watan that the economic crisis in the Gaza Strip has escalated since the Israel-Hamas war in May.
He said that the Gaza-based Palestinian factions possess several options to respond to the Israeli “intransigence.”
The options include addressing the mediators to increase the pressure on Israel, and resuming demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel border, Abdo said.
He predicted that the next round of fighting with Israel would be limited to the Gaza Strip, “unless there are developments in Jerusalem, which is a red line for a regional war.”
Palestinian political analyst Hussam al-Dajani said that the Palestinian factions have no choice but to respond “in light of the difficult humanitarian situation that could lead to a popular explosion. A military confrontation [with Israel] is not the goal of the factions. It aims to draw the world’s attention to the siege and the suffering of the residents of the Gaza Strip.”
Ahed Farawneh, a Palestinian expert on Israeli issues, told Donia al-Watan that “the difficult situation in the Gaza Strip indicates that matters are headed toward escalation because the occupation is evading easing its restrictions.”
Farawneh said he expected the Palestinian factions to decide on a “gradual escalation, such as resuming the ‘night confusion’ activities [along the border with Israel] and the launching of incendiary balloons and explosive devices.”
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said on Sunday that “the continuation of the siege will lead to an explosion at any time.”
The Palestinian factions will announce “a clear position” on this matter, said Qassem. “The real tension will occur in the region if the occupation continues to tighten the siege on the Gaza Strip,” he said. “The Palestinian resistance groups cannot stand idly by when they see this siege and collective punishment imposed on the Gaza Strip, and it is the right of our people to live in freedom and dignity. We cannot compromise on this issue.”
Qassem said that the Gaza-based factions are coordinating their moves and studying their next steps according to their reading of the situation.
“We will not allow the occupation to blackmail us in exchange for our just causes, such as reconstruction, aid entry, lifting the siege, and guaranteeing freedom of movement for people and goods,” the Hamas spokesman added.
The al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades of the Popular Resistance Committees, which consists of various terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, warned that the Palestinian factions will not stand idly by “in light of the ongoing Israeli intransigence and arrogance.”
It said that the Palestinian factions “will not give the enemy more time” to comply with their demands. The group called on the mediators to immediately intervene to prevent an escalation, and force Israel to abide by the understandings reached in May.
The Palestinian al-Mezan Center for Human Rights warned on Sunday of renewed violence in the wake of the international community’s “continued inability to fulfill its obligations, especially its pledges to reconstruct the Gaza Strip and lift the siege imposed on it to ensure the stability of the political and security conditions and not to return to the square of violent conflict.”
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip constitutes a real trigger for renewed conflict, it cautioned.
The center accused Israel of pursuing a policy of collective punishment of the residents of the Gaza Strip after the war by keeping the border crossings closed.
“The occupation authorities continue to prevent the entry of most types of raw materials and goods necessary for the work of factories and industrial workshops, such as chemicals, wood, furniture products and cars, with the exception of some materials that are used in the manufacture of detergents and plastics, which contributes to an increase in the number of the unemployed and the poor,” the center said in a statement.
Last week, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced that Israel will allow the entry of 1,000 merchants and 350 businessmen from Gaza into Israel. In addition, all Gazan goods can now enter Israel for the first time since the end of the May war, COGAT head Maj.-Gen, Ghassan Alian announced.
Raed Fattouh, head of the Palestinian Committee for the Entry of Goods, said that the Palestinians have not yet received a list of the goods and merchandise whose entry and export are permitted in and out of Gaza.
“With the continuation of the siege, the suffering of the victims of the military attacks during the last aggression on the Gaza Strip, who lost their homes, continues, as 8,500 residents whose homes were completely destroyed continue to be displaced,” according to the Palestinian human rights center. “In addition, about 250,000 residents whose homes were partially damaged are unable to repair their homes in light of the continuing ban on the entry of construction material into the Gaza Strip. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in the Gaza Strip due to the blockade and the escalating Israeli violations.”
大火使耶路撒冷烏雲籠罩，吞沒附近社區
耶路撒冷山上的野火是過去幾年該地區最大的火災。
作者：ARIELLA MARSDEN
2021 年 8 月 15 日 23:41
2021 年 8 月 15 日，以色列消防員和公民試圖撲滅在耶路撒冷郊外 Beit Meir 附近森林中發生的火災。
（照片來源：YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90）
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週日，一場巨大的野火在耶路撒冷附近蔓延，燒毀了數百德南的森林，並危及附近的社區。高溫和強風促使火勢迅速蔓延至首都西部。
“這可能是過去幾年耶路撒冷山上發生的最大火災，”耶路撒冷地區消防指揮官尼西姆·特威托 (Nissim Twito) 說。
“一切都是黑色的，沒有綠色，”1 號公路附近的 Shoeva 居民告訴 Walla。“這令人心碎。”
12架飛機從空中投下阻燃劑，與地面消防員一起阻止火勢蔓延。
Kan Radio 說，大火蔓延到耶路撒冷山的精神病院Eitanim醫療中心的郊區，所有患者都被疏散了。
以色列警方公佈了兩名因野火而失踪的人的姓名。第一位是埃隆·莫雷 (Elon Moreh) 的居民亞歷克斯·謝赫特曼 (Alex Schechtman)（62 歲）。第二個是 Shabtai Shimon Siegel (25)，Ma'ale Adumim 的居民。
公安部長 Omer Bar Lev 說，醫院裡的三人失踪了，但很快就找到了兩人。一個人仍然下落不明，儘管人們認為他的生命沒有危險。
貝特梅爾大火的巴卡景色（來源：Shira Silkoff）
Beit Meir、Kesalon、Ramat Raziel 和 Givat Ye'arim 的 2,000 多名居民被疏散，因為火勢蔓延到一些房屋，儘管後來允許 Ramat Raziel 和 Givat Ye'arim 的一些居民返回家園。
總理納夫塔利·貝內特告訴安全部隊，如果他們懷疑是否有必要撤離，應該毫無疑問地進行。
消防部門發言人 Dedi Simhi 週日晚表示，“火災 100% 是人為造成的。” 不過，他表示，目前尚不清楚這是故意還是意外。“我們還不知道，”他說，並補充說“首先我們將把火撲滅，然後明天我們將開始調查。”
撤離人員中的前部長伊齊克·什穆利 (Itzik Shmili) 在推特上分享了他的經驗，談論當你有五分鐘時間收拾最重要的東西時要帶什麼。
“這是在這樣一個可怕的時刻，當一場大火威脅要摧毀和燒毀你生活的中心時，你學會更加感激並緊緊抓住你在五分鐘內設法打包的東西：你的伴侶和兩個好孩子、三隻貓和一生中的一些情感紀念品，”他寫道。
他補充說：“感謝我們的消防員已經與這場大火搏鬥了幾個小時，希望我們能夠安全度過難關。”
有些人因吸入煙霧而接受治療，但沒有住院。
從莫迪因看到的拜特梅爾大火的煙霧（圖片來源：YONAH JEREMY BOB）
12架消防飛機正在努力與地面消防員一起阻止蔓延。
一名消防員摔倒並傷到了他的四肢。他被 United Hatzollah 送往醫院。
Gilo 的 Beit Meir 火災視圖（圖片來源：SETH J. FRANZMAN）
貝內特縮短了安全內閣會議就火災進行磋商，隨後他召集了包括國防部長本尼·甘茨、公安部長奧馬爾·巴爾列夫、內政部長阿耶萊特·沙克德、警察局長和消防和救援部門負責人在內的高級官員。
據 Ynet 報導，貝內特週日晚上說：“這些努力將需要整晚的時間。” “我呼籲居民遵守指示。”
2021 年 8 月 15 日，貝內特總理在指揮控制耶路撒冷熊熊大火的指揮部（圖片來源：ALON HACHMON）
甘茨命令以色列國防軍協助滅火工作。國土前線司令部的國家作戰室被激活以協調部隊。
預計滅火工作將持續到深夜和整個週一。
Lahav Harkov 為本報告做出了貢獻。
Massive fire sends dark cloud over Jerusalem, engulfs nearby communities
The wildfires in the Jerusalem hills is the largest fire in the area in the last few years.
By ARIELLA MARSDEN
AUGUST 15, 2021 23:41
Israeli firefighters and citizens try to extinguish a fire which broke out in a forest near near Beit Meir, outside of Jerusalem on August 15, 2021.
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
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A huge wildfire spread near Jerusalem on Sunday burning down hundreds of dunams of forest and endangering nearby communities. High temperatures and strong winds helped the fire spread fast to the west of the capital.
“This may be the biggest fire in the last few years in the Jerusalem hills,” said the Jerusalem District Fire Commander, Nissim Twito.
“Everything is black, there is no green,” a resident of Shoeva near Route 1 told Walla. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Twelve aircraft dropped fire retardant from the air to stop the fire spreading together with firefighters on the ground.
The fire reached the outskirts of the Eitanim Medical Center, a psychiatric facility in the Jerusalem Hills and all the patients were evacuated, Kan Radio said.
Israeli Police have released the names of two individuals who are missing as a result of the wildfires. The first is Alex Schechtman (62), a resident of Elon Moreh. The second is Shabtai Shimon Siegel (25), a resident of Ma'ale Adumim.
Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev said three people from the hospital went missing but two were soon found. One remained missing, although his life was not thought to be in danger.
A view from Baka of the Beit Meir fire (credit: Shira Silkoff)
More than 2,000 residents of Beit Meir, Kesalon, Ramat Raziel and Givat Ye’arim were evacuated as flames reached some homes although some residents from Ramat Raziel and Givat Ye’arim were later allowed to return home.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told security forces that if they were in doubt about whether evacuation is necessary, it should be done without question.
Fire Department spokesman Dedi Simhi said on Sunday night that “the fire was 100% caused by people.” However, he stated that was still unclear whether this was done deliberately or by accident. “We don’t know yet,” he said, and added that “first we will get the fire out then tomorrow we’ll start our investigation.”
Itzik Shmuli, a former minister who was among those evacuated, took to Twitter to share his experience, talking about what to take with when you have five minutes to pack up the most important things.
“It’s at a horrifying moment like this, when a great fire is threatening to destroy and burn the center of your life that you learn to appreciate all the more and hold tight to what you have managed to pack in five minutes: your partner and two wonderful children, three cats and some emotional souvenirs from an entire life,” he wrote.
“Thank you to our firefighters who have been fighting this fire for a few hours, may we get through this safely,” he added.
Some people were treated for smoke inhalation but were not hospitalized.
A view of the smoke of the Beit Meir fire from Modiin (credit: YONAH JEREMY BOB)
Twelve firefighting planes were working in an attempt to stop the spread together with firefighters on the ground.
One firefighter fell and injured his limbs. He was taken by United Hatzollah to hospital.
A view of the Beit Meir fire from Gilo (credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)
Bennett cut short a Security Cabinet meeting for consultations on the fire and afterwards he convened senior officials including Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, the chief of police and of fire and rescue services.
"The efforts will take all night," Bennett said on Sunday night, according to a Ynet report. "I call on the residents to adhere to instructions."
PM BENNETT at the command for managing the raging fires in Jerusalem, August 15, 2021 (credit: ALON HACHMON)
Gantz ordered the IDF to assist with the firefighting efforts. The Homefront Command’s national operations room was activated to coordinate forces.
Extinguishing efforts are expected to continue into the night and throughout Monday.
Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.
Kiryat Shmona 附近的森林火災迫使家庭疏散
烈焰從附近的軍營開始，然後向北城蔓延；沒有受傷報告；市政府開設社區中心以接待被淘汰的居民
通過TOI人員2021 年 8 月 12 日，晚上 8:50
2021 年 8 月 12 日北部邊境城市基里亞特什莫納附近森林火災視頻的屏幕截圖。（推特）
週四下午，黎巴嫩邊境附近發生了一場大型森林火災，迫使基里亞特什莫納的一些房屋撤離，並將北部城市的空氣污染提高到危險水平。
市政府要求住在火災附近的居民關上窗戶並離開家，以免吸入飄過該地區的煙霧。市政府表示，貝特溫哥華社區中心和亞瑟福克斯社區中心提供了接待居民的空間。
衛生部和環境保護部發布了一份聯合聲明，警告火災導致全市空氣污染程度高。
部委表示，在進行測試後，“發現可吸入顆粒的濃度非常高”，超過了觸發警報的水平。
聲明說，建議老年人、兒童、孕婦以及有心臟或肺部疾病的人避免到戶外活動，並留在家中，關閉窗戶並打開空調。
聲明稱，大火於下午 4 點左右在附近的一個軍事基地內發生，並蔓延至平民社區。
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據希伯來媒體報導，當消防員努力控制火勢時，四架消防飛機向火焰傾倒了阻燃劑。
Kfar Giladi 和 Kiryat Shmona 之間的道路因大火而關閉。
據 Ynet 網站報導，在過去兩週內，拉米姆嶺地區約有 5,000 德南（1,235 英畝）的森林在軍隊發射的照明彈引起的火災中被燒毀。
北部市政負責人會見了消防和救援專員 Dedi Simchi，並抱怨沒有派出足夠的消防單位來處理大火。據報導，Simchi 告訴他們，需要單位來應對其他危及生命的火災，而 Ramim Ridge 地區的爆發並未對人類生命構成威脅。
在最近炎熱乾燥的夏季天氣中，全國各地發生了多起森林火災。
上週，耶路撒冷附近的一場大火迫使首都郊區一個社區的一些房屋撤離。
希臘官員稱大規模野火“正在慢慢得到控制”
由於要求公共安全高級官員辭職的呼聲越來越高，數百名消防員仍在與火焰作鬥爭，因為大火已連續第九天肆虐
通過AFP2021 年 8 月 11 日，下午 12:15
2021 年 8 月 10 日，消防隊員試圖撲滅希臘埃維亞島 Avgaria 村附近的森林大火。（ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP）
希臘雅典——週三，數百名消防員正在努力控制希臘發生的兩場大規模野火，其中一場大火持續了 9 天，導致數百人無家可歸，並造成了無法估量的損失。
在一支龐大的多國部隊的協助下，希臘消防隊員正在埃維亞島和伯羅奔尼撒半島崎嶇地形中撲滅大火。
“我認為我們可以說火線正在慢慢得到控制，”已經受到威脅的伊斯蒂亞埃維亞鎮的市長揚尼斯·孔齊亞斯告訴國家電視台 ERT。
“昨天，我們幾天來第一次看到太陽的光芒，”他說，指的是巨大的煙雲使居民窒息並阻礙了消防飛機的水滴。
在伯羅奔尼撒山脈的戈爾蒂尼亞地區，情況更加不穩定，那裡有茂密的森林和深邃的溝壑。
更廣泛的阿卡迪亞地區的副州長克里斯托斯蘭布羅普洛斯表示，努力集中在防止火災蔓延到密林茂密的邁納洛山。
“目前村莊似乎沒有危險……但情況每小時都在變化，”他告訴 ERT。
2021 年 8 月 8 日，隨著森林大火逼近希臘第二大島埃維亞島上的 Pefki 村，一棟房子正在燃燒。（ANGELOS TZORTZINIS / 法新社）
三人在最新的火災浪潮中喪生，這場火災發生在希臘幾十年來最嚴重的熱浪之中。
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許多當地人承認，來自國外的幫助對於避免更大的災難至關重要。
迄今為止，歐盟國家和其他國家已派出 21 架飛機、250 輛汽車和 1,200 多名消防員，其中一些人將於週五抵達。
週三，戈爾蒂尼亞的部隊得到了近 600 名消防員的加強，其中包括來自捷克共和國、英國、法國和德國的工作人員。
消防部門說，另外 60 名消防員正在伯羅奔尼撒東南部的拉科尼亞處理一場較小的火災。
在埃維亞，有近 900 名消防員在現場對抗野火，其中包括塞浦路斯人、摩爾多瓦人、波蘭人、塞爾維亞人、斯洛伐克人、羅馬尼亞人和烏克蘭人。塞爾維亞、瑞典和瑞士的飛機和直升機是提供支持的七架飛機之一。
2021 年 8 月 5 日，一架飛機在希臘雅典北部 Kryoneri 地區的一場野火中滴水。（美聯社 / Michael Varaklas）
在希臘，要求公共安全高級官員辭職的呼聲越來越高，他們最近在 6 月份還堅稱該國已做好充分準備。
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“（我們的資源）比以往任何時候都強大。在 40 年來最糟糕的天氣現像中，我們面臨著在 8 天內發生 586 起火災的獨特情況，”民防部副部長 Nikos Hardalias 週二堅持說。
'我們面臨滅絕'
本週，希臘總理基里亞科斯·米佐塔基斯 (Kyriakos Mitsotakis) 就國家回應中可能存在的任何“缺陷”向全國道歉。他將在周四舉行新聞發布會，因為人們面臨的壓力越來越大。
除了根據早期估計數以百計的房屋損失以及對希臘日益減少的森林造成的打擊之外，當地經濟的成本預計也將令人生畏。
“我們面臨滅絕，”埃維亞市市長 Kontzias 說，其管轄範圍包括受歡迎的溫泉小鎮艾迪普索斯。
2021 年 8 月 3 日，當迪克西大火從加利福尼亞州普盧馬斯縣格林維爾以北的 89 號高速公路上跳下時，火焰從樹上躍起。隨著消防員與 7 月 14 日點燃的大火作鬥爭，乾燥多風的條件導致火災活動增加。（美聯社照片/諾亞·伯格）
“我們失去了 8 月份，這將在來年維持人們的生活。”
“（當地）旅遊業已被拆除，大多數（遊客）已經離開，”他說。“破壞是巨大的，環境災難將對經濟產生數十年的影響，”他說。
Greek officials say massive wildfires ‘slowly coming under control’
Hundreds of firefighters still battling flames as blazes rage for ninth straight day, amid growing calls for resignation of top public safety officials
By AFP11 August 2021, 12:15 pm
Firefighters try to extinguish the burning blaze of a forest fire near in the village of Avgaria on the Greek island of Evia, August 10, 2021. (ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP)
ATHENS, Greece — Hundreds of firefighters were battling to control two massive wildfires in Greece on Wednesday, one raging for nine straight days, that have left hundreds homeless and caused incalculable damage.
With the assistance of a huge multinational force, Greek fire crews were fighting to beat back blazes on the island of Evia and in the Peloponnese peninsula in rugged terrain.
“I think we can say that the fire fronts are slowly coming under control,” Yiannis Kontzias, mayor of the Evia town of Istiaia that has been under threat for days, told state TV ERT.
“Yesterday, we saw the light of the sun for the first time in days,” he said, referring to giant smoke clouds that have choked residents and obstructed water drops by firefighting aircraft.
The situation was more precarious in the mountainous Peloponnese region of Gortynia, home to dense forests and deep ravines.
Christos Lambropoulos, deputy governor for the broader Arcadia region, said efforts were concentrated on keeping the fire from reaching the thickly forested Mount Mainalo.
“Villages do not seem at risk at the moment… but conditions change by the hour,” he told ERT.
A house is burning as forest fires approach the village of Pefki on Evia island, Greece’s second largest island, on August 8, 2021. (ANGELOS TZORTZINIS / AFP)
Three people have died in the latest fire wave, which came in the midst of Greece’s most severe heatwave in decades.
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Many locals admit that help from abroad has been critical in averting an even greater disaster.
EU states and other countries have so far contributed 21 aircraft, 250 vehicles and more than 1,200 firefighters, some of whom were due to arrive by Friday.
Forces in Gortynia were beefed up Wednesday to nearly 600 firefighters including crews from the Czech Republic, Britain, France and Germany.
Another 60 firemen were tackling a smaller fire in Laconia, in the southeastern Peloponnese, the fire department said.
In Evia, a presence of nearly 900 firefighters was arrayed against the wildfires including Cypriots, Moldovans, Poles, Serbs, Slovaks, Romanians and Ukrainians. Serbian, Swedish and Swiss planes and helicopters were among a fleet of seven aircraft providing support.
An aircraft drops water during a wildfire in Kryoneri area, northern Athens, Greece, August 5, 2021. (AP/Michael Varaklas)
There have been growing calls in Greece for the resignation of top public safety officials who as recently as June had insisted that the country was well-prepared.
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“(Our resources were) stronger than ever before. We faced an operationally unique situation with 586 fires in eight days during the worst weather phenomenon in 40 years,” civil protection deputy minister Nikos Hardalias insisted on Tuesday.
‘We face extinction’
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis this week apologized to the nation for any possible “shortcomings” in the state’s response. He is to hold a press conference on Thursday as pressure mounts for heads to roll.
In addition to hundreds of homes lost according to early estimates and the blow to Greece’s dwindling forests, the cost to local economies is expected to be daunting.
“We face extinction,” said mayor Kontzias in Evia, whose jurisdiction includes the popular spa town of Aidipsos.
Flames leap from trees as the Dixie Fire jumps Highway 89 north of Greenville in Plumas County, California on Aug. 3, 2021. Dry and windy conditions have led to increased fire activity as firefighters battle the blaze which ignited July 14. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
“We have lost the month of August, which would have sustained people here in the coming year.”
“(Local) tourism has been demolished, most (visitors) have left,” he said. “The damage is huge, and the environmental disaster will have economic repercussions for decades,” he said.
捐助者每年獲得 100 萬美元獎金，希望以色列的想法將有助於解決氣候危機
加拿大人傑夫哈特與慈善家、猶太組織合作，向非營利組織頒獎：“如果有人能創造奇蹟，那就是以色列國”
由蘇SURKES 2021 年 8 月 13 日，上午 11:33
2021 年 8 月 8 日，當森林大火逼近希臘第二大島埃維亞（Euboea）島上的 Pefki 村時，一名婦女抱著一隻狗（ANGELOS TZORTZINIS / 法新社）
一位加拿大慈善家與加拿大猶太國家基金會和以色列國內外的其他猶太組織合作，啟動了一項 100 萬美元的年度氣候解決方案獎，旨在將以色列的創新帶到技術前沿，以應對全球氣候變化。
這是迄今為止對以色列創新技術的最大獎勵，將頒發給非營利組織。
與此同時，作為同一個整體計劃的一部分，Start-Up Nation Central是一個將國際企業和政府領導人與以色列技術聯繫起來的組織，正在尋求為初創公司籌集相同的獎金。
非營利部門的 100 萬美元獎金已經籌集，並於週三在特拉維夫為組織者以及潛在的慈善家和合作夥伴舉行的私人“行動呼籲”儀式上正式啟動。
巧合的是，此次發布是在《聯合國氣候變化框架公約》發布全球變暖系列報告中的第一份報告兩天后舉行的，該報告將構成第六次評估報告。
表單的底部
週一關於物理科學指標的論文是自 2013 年以來首次就此主題發表的論文表明，變暖的速度正在加快，與工業革命之前相比，將其限制在1.5 攝氏度的國際目標可能會在 2040 年之前被打破.
從左到右：Jeff Hart，氣候解決方案獎執行主席；Laura Gilinski，Start-Up Nation Central 慈善夥伴關係副總裁；Emily Levy-Shochat，KKL 環境與科學委員會主席；佩雷斯和平與創新中心主任 Efrat Duvdevani
致力於減少或吸收（隔離）二氧化碳（全球變暖的主要氣體）排放的個人研究人員和機構，如大學和創新中心，將於10 月開始通過獎項網站申請該獎項。
他們正在研究的主題可能包括從能源、運輸、製造、建築和建設到農業和更好的土地利用等任何方面。
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申請人將接受兩組評委的審查，他們將審查 20 人的入圍名單，並選出 4 名獲獎者，將於明年 6 月公佈。
這張拍攝於 2021 年 7 月 12 日的照片顯示，在中國西南四川省達州市發生大雨後，一名村官從洪水氾濫的地區疏散一名兒童。（STR/法新社攝）
該獎項背後的蒙特利爾慈善家兼獎項委員會執行主席傑夫·哈特 (Jeff Hart) 做出了他只願意稱之為“重大貢獻”的事情，以確保這筆款項可用於獲得一等獎。非營利部門。
“這是關於建立一個聯盟，而不是關於一些聰明的慈善家，”他週四在登上從特拉維夫飛往蒙特利爾的航班之前告訴以色列時報。
這位 53 歲的商人在加拿大經營著一個醫療水療中心網絡，他提到了谷歌月球 X 獎競賽的例子，該競賽挑戰非政府組織讓航天器登陸月球，並刺激了以色列Beresheet 1的開發，這是世界上第一個私人資助的月球著陸器。Beresheet 成功抵達月球，但由於技術故障，於 2019 年 4 月嘗試著陸時與月球表面相撞。正在計劃第二次登月。
“就像以色列登上月球一樣，我們相信以色列將針對我們所看到的氣候變化提出最佳解決方案，並將真正使tikkun olam發生，”Hart 引用猶太人的修復概念說世界。
人們於 2019 年 4 月 11 日在內坦亞觀看了 SpaceIL Beresheet 登月嘗試的現場直播。（美聯社/阿里爾·沙利特）
他補充說，他對人類正面臨氣候變化驅動的“生存危機”的信念僅在今年襲擊加拿大的極端熱浪事件中得到加強。6 月份，在不列顛哥倫比亞省的利頓，這些人殺死了數十人，並將汞的溫度上升到了創紀錄的 49.6°C（121.3°F）。第二天，一場野火燒毀了村莊的大部分地區。
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“以色列已經解決了世界上的許多問題，”哈特說，“例如在水行業。”
說明：2010 年 5 月 16 日，哈代拉的一家海水淡化廠。（美聯社照片/Ariel Schalit）
猶太國家發明了海水淡化和其他與水相關的技術，並在回收污水以用於農業再利用方面處於世界領先地位。
“我們猶太人能否拿出最大的突破，利用猶太人的聰明才智和膽量，為我們的子孫後代帶來改變？”
當被問及他是否對人類將遏制全球變暖持樂觀態度時，他說：
“猶太人的想法是你必須是一個樂觀主義者。有人相信以色列會在 1940 年代成為一個國家並在阿拉伯國家的襲擊中倖存下來嗎？有沒有人相信以色列會取得它已經取得的許多成就？
“這一次看起來似乎對人類不利，但我相信，如果有人能夠創造奇蹟，那就是以色列國，這就是為什麼我們支持該倡議並希望再次動員猶太人民並通過扭轉局面讓我們自己和世界感到驚訝。”
JNF Canada 正與總部位於以色列的 KKL-JNF 猶太國家基金會合作籌集捐款。後者承諾將每筆捐款匹配 25%。包括這筆匹配在內，1000 萬美元的目標金額中的 300 萬美元已經為非營利組織籌集到了獎金。
在這張從直升機上拍攝的航拍照片中，可以看到 2021 年 7 月 1 日在不列顛哥倫比亞省利頓被野火摧毀的建築物。（Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP）
Start-Up Nation Central 的丹妮拉·坎德爾 (Daniella Kandel) 表示，雖然初創公司的 100 萬美元只籌集了部分資金，但計劃遵循相同的申請時間表，並讓業內人士擔任評委。
她的組織是計劃於 6 月在以色列舉行的為期一周的氣候創新節的幕後推手，屆時將公佈獲獎者。
坎德爾說，在以色列成立並在該國開展研發的創新公司中，390多家專注於農業技術，700家專注於交通運輸，190家專注於水技術，90多家專注於能源。
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KKL-JNF 副主席兼該組織環境與科學委員會主席 Emily Levy-Shochat 說：“這個獎項反映了我們的信念，即以色列可以而且必須成為解決方案的一部分。不可否認，全球變暖的到來，尤其是在中東感受到的，使我們作為以色列最大的綠色組織有責任盡快做更多的事情。”
With $1m annual prize, donor hopes Israeli ideas will help solve climate crisis
Canadian Jeff Hart links up with philanthropists, Jewish organizations, to give award to nonprofits: ‘If anyone can make miracles happen, it’s the State of Israel’
By SUE SURKES 13 August 2021, 11:33 am
A woman holds a dog in her arms as forest fires approach the village of Pefki on Evia (Euboea) island, Greece's second largest island, on August 8, 2021 (ANGELOS TZORTZINIS / AFP)
A Canadian philanthropist has linked up with the Jewish National Fund of Canada and other Jewish organizations in Israel and abroad to kickstart a US $1 million annual Climate Solutions Prize aimed at bringing Israeli innovation to the forefront of technology to fight climate change worldwide.
It is the biggest incentive prize to date for Israeli-based innovation technology, and will be awarded to a nonprofit.
In parallel, and as part of the same overall program, Start-Up Nation Central, an organization that connects international businesses and government leaders with Israeli technology, is seeking to raise the same sum for a prize for startup companies.
The $1 million prize for the nonprofit sector has already been raised and was officially launched Wednesday in Tel Aviv at a private “call to action” ceremony for organizers as well as potential philanthropists and partners.
By coincidence, the launch took place just two days after the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change issued the first of a series of reports on global warming, which will make up the Sixth Assessment Report.
Monday’s paper on physical science indicators, the first to be released on this subject since 2013, showed that the pace of warming is speeding up and that the international goal of limiting it to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared with before the industrial revolution could be breached before 2040.
From left to right: Jeff Hart, Executive Chair of the Climate Solutions Prize; Laura Gilinski, VP of Philanthropic Partnerships at Start-Up Nation Central; Emily Levy-Shochat, Chair of KKL’s Board Committee for Environment and Science; Efrat Duvdevani, Director General of the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation
Individual researchers and institutions such as universities and innovation hubs that are working on ways to reduce or absorb (sequester) emissions of carbon dioxide, the main global warming gas, will be invited to apply for the prize starting in October, via the prize website.
The subjects they are researching might include anything from energy, transportation, manufacturing, building and construction to agriculture and better land use.
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Applicants will be vetted by two groups of judges that will review a shortlist of 20 and pick up to four prizewinners, to be announced next June.
This photo taken on July 12, 2021 shows a village official evacuating a child from a flooded area following heavy rains in Dazhou in China’s southwestern Sichuan province. (Photo by STR / AFP)
Jeff Hart, the Montreal-based philanthropist behind the prize, and the executive chairman of the prize committee, has made what he was only willing to describe as a “substantial contribution” to ensure that this sum will be available for the first prize for the nonprofit sector.
“This is about building a coalition, not about some smart philanthropist,” he told The Times of Israel on Thursday, just before boarding a flight from Tel Aviv to Montreal.
The 53-year old businessman, who runs a network of medical spas across Canada, noted the example of the Google Lunar X Prize contest, which challenged nongovernmental groups to land a spacecraft on the moon and spurred the development of Israel’s Beresheet 1, the world’s first privately funded moon lander. Beresheet successfully reached the moon but collided with the lunar surface in April 2019 during an attempted landing, due to technical failure. A second sortie to the moon is being planned.
“Just as Israel got to the moon, our belief is that Israel will come up with the best solution to what we’re seeing with climate change and will literally enable tikkun olam to take place,” said Hart, citing the Jewish concept of repairing the world.
People watch the live broadcast in Netanya, on April 11, 2019, of the SpaceIL Beresheet lunar landing attempt. (AP/Ariel Schalit)
His conviction that humanity is facing a climate change-driven “existential crisis” was only reinforced by the extreme heatwave events that hit Canada this year, he added. Those killed dozens and took the mercury up to a record 49.6° C (121.3° F) in Lytton, British Columbia, in June. The next day, a wildfire gutted much of the village.
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“Israel has solved so many of the world’s problems,” Hart said, “for example in the water sector.”
Illustrative: A desalination plant in Hadera, May 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
The Jewish state invented desalination and other water-related technologies, and leads the world in recycling sewage water for reuse in agriculture.
“Can we, the Jewish people, come up with the biggest breakthroughs, using Jewish ingenuity and chutzpah, to bring about change for our children and future generations?”
Asked if he was optimistic that humanity will curb global warming, he said,
“The Jewish idea is that you have to be an optimist. Did anybody believe that Israel would become a nation in the 1940s and survive the attacks on it by the Arab nations? Did anyone believe that Israel would achieve many of the things it has achieved?
“This time it looks like the odds are against humanity, but it’s my belief that if anyone can make miracles happen, it’s the State of Israel, which is why we are supporting the initiative and hoping that once more, we can mobilize the Jewish people and surprise ourselves and the world by turning things around.”
JNF Canada is partnering with the Israel-based KKL-JNF Jewish National Fund to raise donations. The latter has pledged to match every donation by 25%. Including this matching, $3 million out of a target sum of $10 million has already been raised toward the prize for not-for-profits.
In this aerial photo taken from a helicopter, structures destroyed by a wildfire are seen in Lytton, British Columbia, on July 1, 2021. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Daniella Kandel of Start-Up Nation Central said that while the $1 million for startup companies had only been partially raised, the plan was to follow the same application timetable and to have people from the industry involved as judges.
Her organization is behind the week-long Climate Innovation Festival in Israel, planned for June, during which the prizewinners will be announced.
Kandel said that of the innovation companies founded in Israel and carrying out R&D in the country, more than 390 are focused on agricultural technology, 700 on transportation, 190 on water technology and more than 90 on energy.
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Emily Levy-Shochat, a KKL-JNF vice chairperson and chair of the organization’s Environmental and Science Committee, said, “This prize reflects our belief that Israel can, and must, be part of the solution. The undeniable advent of global warming, particularly felt here in the Middle East, makes it incumbent upon us, the largest green organization in Israel, to do much more and as quickly as possible.”
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