What happens now?
For the first time since 2001 there are no American troops in Afghanistan. The end of the US military involvement in the troubled country raises a new set of questions for US President Joe Biden and his administration.
What happens to Americans and at-risk Afghans left behind?
A small number of American citizens have chosen to continue to stay in Afghanistan, many of them so they can be with family members. The Biden administration has said it expects the Taliban to continue allowing safe passage for Americans and others to leave Afghanistan after the US military withdrawal.
But there are concerns about how those citizens will be able to leave if there is no functioning airport. Tens of thousands of atrisk Afghans, such as interpreters who worked with the U.S. military, journalists and women's rights advocates, have also been left behind. It is unclear what their fate will be but officials are
concerned that the Taliban may retaliate against them.
The Taliban have pledged to allow all foreign nationals and Afghan citizens with travel authorisation from another country to leave Afghanistan, according to a joint statement issued by Britain, the United States and other countries on Sunday.
What happens to Kabul airport?
The Taliban are in talks with governments like Qatar and Turkey to seek assistance to continue civilian flight operations from there, the only way for many people to leave Afghanistan.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said repairs need to be made at Kabul airport before it can be reopened to civilian flights.
What does the future of Us-taliban relationship look like?
The US has said it does not plan to leave diplomats behind in Afghanistan and will decide on what to do in the future based on the Taliban’s actions. But the Biden administration will have to determine how it is able to ensure a humanitarian and economic crisis does not break out in the country. Some countries, including Britain, have said that no nation should bilaterally recognise the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.