Biden's national security advisor says the US could give the Taliban CASH AID even as they hold hold mock FUNERALS for American, British and NATO forces and celebrate with gunfire in the streets of Kabul after 20 years of war

 The Biden administration is considering sending economic aid to the Taliban, even as the militants hold mock funerals for American troops and NATO allies to celebrate the end of the 20-year US military intervention in Afghanistan. 

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told ABC's Good Morning America that the U.S. intends to continue sending health, food and other forms of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. 

He also said that other forms of cash aid, including economic and developmental assistance, would depend on whether the Taliban 'follow through on their commitments' including to allow safe passage for Americans still in Afghanistan.

'It's going to be up to them and we will wait and see by their actions how we end up responding in terms of the economic and developmental assistance,' he said. 

Sullivan insisted that any aid would flow through 'international institutions' and not directly to the Taliban, however the militant group is now in full control of the country's government and banking system. 

Meanwhile, coffins draped with the US, UK and French flags as well as NATO's insignia were paraded through the streets of Khost on Tuesday by crowds waving the Taliban's flag, hours after the final US plane departed.

The taunting ceremony followed the deaths of 13 US troops in an ISIS-K suicide bombing last week at the Kabul airport, where fireworks lit up the sky and celebratory gunfire rattled as the final American troops left on Monday night. 

In Kandahar - a traditional Taliban stronghold - thousands also turned out waving white Taliban flags to celebrate what the group is referring to as its 'independence day', hours after the final American troops boarded an evacuation flight out of the country.

Speaking from the runway at Kabul airport this morning - and surrounded by Taliban 'special forces' units dressed head to toe in American gear - spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid hailed the Islamist group's 'victory' over western forces.

'It is an historical day and an historical moment.... we liberated our country from a great power,' he added, saying the last 20 years should serve as a 'big lesson for other invaders [and] a lesson for the world.'  


US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (right) told ABC's Good Morning America that the US could send economic and developmental aid to Afghanistan if the Taliban 'follow through on their commitments'

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (right) told ABC's Good Morning America that the US could send economic and developmental aid to Afghanistan if the Taliban 'follow through on their commitments'

Coffins draped with the US, UK and French flags as well as NATO's insignia were paraded through the streets of Khost by crowds waving the Taliban's flag on Tuesday

Coffins draped with the US, UK and French flags as well as NATO's insignia were paraded through the streets of Khost by crowds waving the Taliban's flag on Tuesday

Fake funeral in Khost
Fake funeral in Khost

Thousands of people turned out to watch the fake procession, some holding white Taliban flags (right), as the Islamists celebrate 'victory' over western forces

Hundreds of people also took to the streets of Kandahar, a traditional stronghold for the Taliban, waving the white Islamist flag as they celebrated the western withdrawal from Afghanistan

Hundreds of people also took to the streets of Kandahar, a traditional stronghold for the Taliban, waving the white Islamist flag as they celebrated the western withdrawal from Afghanistan

Crowds gather in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, to celebrate after the last US evacuation flight left their country

Crowds gather in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, to celebrate after the last US evacuation flight left their country


Following 2,356 US military deaths, many thousands wounded and an estimated $2.3 trillion spent on a 20-year endeavor that ended with the Taliban sweeping back to power, many Americans are frustrated with President Joe Biden's handling of the withdrawal.

A new Rasmussen poll found that more than half of likely voters rated Biden's handling of the situation as poor, while only 32 percent called it good or excellent. 

Biden, who is due to defend his decisions in an address the nation on Tuesday afternoon, said in a statement: 'it was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and of all of our commanders on the ground to end our airlift mission as planned.' 

'Their view was that ending our military mission was the best way to protect the lives of our troops, and secure the prospects of civilian departures for those who want to leave Afghanistan in the weeks and months ahead,' the president said.  

But Sullivan's proposal to extend economic aid to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan swiftly drew a strong reaction from Republican critics.

'First, we armed the Taliban with over $80 billion in U.S. equipment, and now we’re considering giving them more aid?' tweeted Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican.

The true value of US equipment captured by the Taliban is unknown, though it likely is less than the $83 billion figure cited by Republicans, which represents the total cost of training and equipping the Afghan National Army since 2001.  

The United States says its mission to get Americans out of Afghanistan will continue after Monday's final withdrawal.

Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, said the evacuation effort 'has shifted from a military mission to a diplomatic mission.' 

He cited 'considerable leverage' the U.S. has over the Taliban to get out any remaining Americans - a number that U.S. official have said is under 200.

American forces helped evacuate over 120,000 U.S. citizens, foreigners and Afghans after the Taliban regained control of the country, according to the White House. 

Coalition forces also evacuated their citizens and Afghans. But foreign nations and the U.S. government acknowledged they didn´t evacuate all who wanted to go. 

The Taliban were certainly keen to present their take-over of the country as a military victory today, parading special forces soldiers dressed head to toe in western gear at Kabul airport while senior leaders posed in front of captured aircraft. 

Zabihullah Mujahid, the group's chief spokesman, addressed the media from the tarmac, bidding 'congratulations to Afghanistan' while adding: 'This victory belongs to us all.' 

Calling the day a 'big lesson for other invaders and for our future generation,' he then told gathered journalists: 'It is an historical day and an historical moment. We are proud of these moments, that we liberated our country from a great power'. 

'Allah Akbar,' Mujahid later wrote on Twitter. 'Congratulations to all Afghans on the liberation and independence of Afghanistan from the American occupation.' 


The US Army then released a nightvision image of Major General Chris Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and the ground commander of the Kabul evacuation, boarding a plane as the last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan

The US Army then released a nightvision image of Major General Chris Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and the ground commander of the Kabul evacuation, boarding a plane as the last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan

Badri 313 units post for the cameras at Kabul airport today, carrying American-made rifles and wearing US military gear

Badri 313 units post for the cameras at Kabul airport today, carrying American-made rifles and wearing US military gear


Taliban Badri special force fighters pose with American-made weapons under their white flag at Kabul airport today

Taliban Badri special force fighters pose with American-made weapons under their white flag at Kabul airport today

Taliban Badri special force fighters take a position at the airport in Kabul after taking over security from US forces

Taliban Badri special force fighters take a position at the airport in Kabul after taking over security from US forces

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid (centre right) speaks to journalists at Kabul airport in front of a line of Badri 313 'special forces' troops armed with US weapons, and in front of a captured American C-130 plane

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid (centre right) speaks to journalists at Kabul airport in front of a line of Badri 313 'special forces' troops armed with US weapons, and in front of a captured American C-130 plane

Taliban 'special forces' soldiers display their newly-captured weapons and gear during a press conference at Kabul airport

Taliban 'special forces' soldiers display their newly-captured weapons and gear during a press conference at Kabul airport

Taliban 'special forces' troops - known as Badri 313 units - stand guard at Kabul airport on Tuesday morning after retaking it from American forces overnight

Taliban 'special forces' troops - known as Badri 313 units - stand guard at Kabul airport on Tuesday morning after retaking it from American forces overnight


Hundreds of American and British citizens were left behind when the last US evacuation plane took off late Monday, along with thousands of Afghans who helped western troops on a promise of sanctuary that was ultimately broken. Many now fear for their lives.  


Mujahid insisted today that Taliban security forces will be 'pleasant and nice' to those left behind, despite reports already emerging of summary executions and persecution against women reminiscent of the Taliban of old.

Meanwhile at Bagram air base, the former stronghold of western forces, its new Taliban commander was boasting of having 'beaten' America using little more than Kalashnikov rifles while saying the airfield will now be 'a base for jihad for all Muslims'.

Speaking to The Times, 35-year-old Maulawi Hafiz Mohibullah Muktaz said: 'Never in our wildest dreams could we have believed we could beat a superpower like America with just our Kalashnikovs.

'When you do jihad all doors open, we defeated America with our faith and our guns and we hope now that Bagram can be a base for jihad for all Muslims

'For any foreign power considering attacking Afghanistan then look at Bagram now and learn your lesson well before embarking on foolish endeavour. See the West's mighty technology humbled here by mujahidin.

'In 15 years as a mujahid fighting the Americans I wondered often if I may fail or die. Yet here is proof of the power of faith and God and jihad. On the back of victory I hope we can use Bagram as a place to spread jihad further into the region and Muslim world.'

Reflecting on America's withdrawal from the other side of the conflict, head of U.S. Central Command General Frank McKenzie said on Monday night: 'There's a lot of heartbreak associated with this departure.

'We did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out. But I think if we'd stayed another 10 days, we wouldn't have gotten everybody out,' he insisted.

At the same time the US released a night-vision image of Major General Chris Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, who was the last soldier to board a plane out of the country.

All eyes will now turn to how the Taliban handles its first few days with sole authority over the country, with a sharp focus on whether it will allow other foreigners and Afghans to leave. 

Reports suggest many are already fleeing through Pakistan to the east and Iran to the west. The US and UK are still working on arrangements to allow people to be evacuated from these neighbouring countries. 

More than 123,000 people were evacuated from Kabul in a massive but chaotic airlift by the United States and its allies over the past two weeks, but tens of thousands who helped Western nations during the war were left behind.

A contingent of Americans, estimated by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as fewer than 200, and possibly closer to 100, wanted to leave but were unable to get on the last flights.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab put the number of UK nationals in Afghanistan in the low hundreds, following the evacuation of some 5,000.

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