On 15 August 2021, the city of Kabul, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, was captured by Taliban forces during the 2021 Taliban offensive, concluding the War in Afghanistan that began in 2001. The fall of Kabul provoked a range of reactions across the globe, including debates on whether to recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan, on the humanitarian situation in the country, on the outcome of the War, and the role of military interventionism in world affairs.
Reactions within Afghanistan Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai pressed publicly for a peaceful transition of power, promising he would remain in Kabul with his daughters. At around 11:00 Afghan Time, President Ashraf Ghani released a statement saying that he had fled in an attempt to avoid a bloody battle and that "the Taliban have won with the judgement of their swords and guns".
Afghan author Khaled Hosseini shared his concerns over the future of women's rights in Afghanistan, and expressed his hope that the Taliban would not return to the "violence and cruelty" of the 1990s. On 19 August, journalist Ali M. Latifi argued that "once again, the Afghan people have awoken to an Independence Day dripping with irony, contradictions, and unease".
Ahmad Sarmast, director of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, stated that the previous Taliban regime had turned Afghanistan into "a silent nation" and he feared the Taliban shutting the Institute down, which would make Afghanistan "a society without music, it would be a dead society". Sahraa Karimi, film director and chairperson of the Afghan Film Organization, publicly shared her account of escaping Kabul in a video that went viral: "I went to the bank to get some money, they closed and evacuated. I still cannot believe this happened... They are coming to kill us". After missing a flight to Ukraine on which the Slovak film academy had secured a place for her due to the crowds, she was later able to board a flight. After arriving in safety, she began organising attempts to secure an escape for other filmmakers in Afghanistan, warning that the Taliban could perpetuate "genocide of filmmakers and artists".
Khalida Popal, former Afghanistan women's national football team captain, stated that "it's traumatising for my generation to see history repeating itself". Samiullah Shinwari of the Afghanistan national cricket team stated that 15 August was "the day Afghans lost their country and the whole world just watched". Several members of the national cricket team also spoke out against the Taliban and posted pictures of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan flag on Afghan Independence Day.
The fall of Kabul sparked a number of protests in Afghanistan, organised especially by Islamic democrats and Islamic feminists. It also saw the formation of the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front of Afghanistan and the beginning of the Panjshir conflict. National Resistance Front of Afghanistan leader Ahmad Massoud warned of civil war, arguing that "we confronted the Soviet Union, and we will be able to confront the Taliban".
On 9 August 2021, #SanctionPakistan became one of the top Twitter trends in Afghanistan and worldwide, with Afghans holding Pakistan responsible for its support of the Taliban.
On the other hand, the fall of Kabul and the republic was welcomed in some regions such as Helmand Province, which had experienced large scale bombardments and suffering during the war.
International governments
Africa South Africa: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) stated that contact had been established with South African nationals stranded in Afghanistan through the South African High Commission to Pakistan, which is also responsible for diplomatic relations with Afghanistan, and that efforts to ensure their safety and provide consular assistance were underway. The South African government expressed concern at the plight of the thousands of Afghans displaced by the worsening security situation and called on "the authority in power to ensure that the rule of law, human rights and the safety of all Afghans and foreign nationals alike are protected", further calling on "all military and security groups" to exercise restraint and seek negotiations aimed at the restoration of stability and a legitimate government. Uganda: Kampala announced that they are willing to accept 2,000 Afghan refugees.
Americas
Argentina: The Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all parties to restore order and open dialogue while urging the Taliban to respect human rights. The Foreign Ministry also urged the Taliban to allow those wishing to leave Afghanistan to do so and for humanitarian aid to reach the population. Bolivia: The Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its concern over the latest events in Afghanistan, calling on all parties to avoid all kinds of aggression against the people and to protect the lives of civilians above all else, as well as to seek peaceful solutions to differences. The Bolivian government urges the new authorities in Afghanistan to protect the lives of those who live in its territory, restoring security and civil order, but always respecting international human rights law, as well as international humanitarian law. Brazil: The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern about the growing instability not only in Afghanistan but in the whole Central Asian region. The country called for a rapid engagement of the UN Security Council, expressing total support for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Canada: The Canadian government announced that it would be suspending its embassy operations in Afghanistan. An undisclosed number of soldiers from Canadian Special Operations Forces Command were dispatched to assist with the evacuation and closure of the embassy. The Canadian Armed Forces also dispatched two C-130 Hercules and a C-17 Globemaster III to Kuwait to assist with the evacuations. The Canadian government stated it would take in up to 20,000 Afghan refugees facing threats from the Taliban. Chile: The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs promotes and supports the declarations of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, in which the importance "of the urgent protection of the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan" is mentioned. In turn, the Chilean government announced that it will receive in its territory at least 10 Afghan families that are mainly made up of women human rights defenders. Paraguay: The Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a joint declaration with twenty other countries in support of the defense of the main human rights in Afghanistan. The document expresses "deep concern" for the right to education, the right to work and the right to freedom of movement of Afghan women and girls. Likewise, the Senate of Paraguay met to approve a draft declaration, in which the violence originating from Taliban men in Afghanistan has been “strongly” condemned. The Paraguayan senators called on all nations of the world to show their willingness to receive Afghan refugees and to stop any deportation. United States: US president Joe Biden stated that the continuing presence of American troops in Afghanistan "would not have made a difference" if the Afghan military was unable to maintain control of the country. Uruguay: The Ministry of Foreign Relations expressed concern about "the rapid deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan", and called on all parties to respect "strictly and completely the obligations of international humanitarian law", and the political actors to respect "the necessary efforts to guarantee the respect and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms of the entire Afghan population".
Asia China: "The disaster in Afghanistan was caused by the US and its allies," said the Chinese state-run Global Times. The Communist Party People's Daily flatteringly credited the Taliban's victory to its supposed adoption of Mao Zedong's "people's war" tactic: rallying the support of the rural population, while drawing the enemy deep into the countryside. India: India evacuated its ambassador and diplomatic staff from its embassy in Kabul. The Indian government also made arrangements for bringing back its nationals. Indonesia: The Indonesian government stated they are monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and stated readiness to evacuate from Afghanistan if needed. The Indonesian Embassy in Kabul would be maintained. On 20 August 2021, Indonesian Air Force evacuated 26 of its citizens. Iran: President Ebrahim Raisi said "American military defeat and its withdrawal must become an opportunity to restore life, security and durable peace in Afghanistan. Iran backs efforts to restore stability in Afghanistan and, as a neighbouring and brother nation, Iran invites all groups in Afghanistan to reach a national agreement." Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stressed, on August 24, that the issue of Baghdad's recognition of the Afghan Taliban movement is "premature", while he spoke about Iraq's fears that the Taliban's movements might inspire the rest of the terrorist organizations to operate in the region. On the issue of evacuating Iraqi citizens, he said "We do not have diplomats and we do not have an Iraq community in Afghanistan". Japan: The Japanese Ministry of Defense announced the dispatching of one Kawasaki C-2 from Miho Air Base on 23 August and two C-130s from Komaki Base on 24 August to evacuate Japanese and Afghan staff members working in the Japanese Embassy. Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that the dispatch was made under Article 84 of the Self-Defense Forces Law. JGSDF and JASDF personnel heading to Afghanistan would be allowed to use small arms to defend themselves under the SDF Law due to the security situation in Kabul. Most of their diplomats were evacuated on 15 August to Turkey. On 26 August 2021, a Boeing 777-300ER under the Japanese Air Force One callsign was dispatched to Islamabad to prepare to evacuate refugees. By 27 August 2021, 1 Japanese nationals and 14 Afghan nationals were successfully evacuated, but none of the local staff members were able to be evacuated. Kazakhstan: The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the embassy would continue operating in Kabul, noting that a small number of staff work at the embassy. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that Kazakhstan would closely follow the development of events in Afghanistan and that measures would take place to ensure the safety of its citizens and diplomats within the country. Malaysia: The Malaysian High Commission in India (which is accredited to Afghanistan) has urged citizens remaining in Afghanistan to register with them and return to Malaysia. The High Commission also confirmed that it had helped a Malaysian national return home earlier in August. It also confirmed that two other Malaysian nationals working for an international relief organisation had opted to remain in Kabul. Nepal: Nepal has pleaded countries which had a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan to assist it in repatriating its citizens from that country.