Protesters opposite White House denounce US withdrawal from Afghanistan

Protesters angry at the Taliban advance in Afghanistan who the Biden administration for withdrawing from the country marched into Lafayette Square opposite the White House on Sunday (August 15).

The demonstrators held signs aloft denouncing the Taliban and chanted, “Save Afghanistan!” and “Biden you betrayed us!”

Taliban insurgents entered Kabul on Sunday and President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed, bringing the Islamist militants close to taking over the country two decades after they were overthrown by a U.S.-led invasion.

As night fell, local television reported that multiple explosions were heard in the capital, and that gunfire could be heard near the airport, where foreign diplomats, officials and other Afghans fled, seeking to leave the country.

It was not yet clear where Ghani was headed or how exactly power would be transferred following the Taliban’s lightning sweep across Afghanistan.

Their advance accelerated as U.S. and other foreign troops withdrew in line with President Joe Biden’s decision to end America’s longest war, launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

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