The Pentagon announced the beginning of the evacuation of the military from the territory of the Kabul airfield. Other foreign states still present in Afghanistan are also ending the evacuation and withdrawing the remaining military. Until the deadline is 3 days, but it looks like they will try not to postpone everything until the last day.
Quite intensive Afghan-Turkish consultations are continuing, but in general, further events in the airport area are as follows: the security of the territory inside the airport will be ensured by a Turkish PMC, assembled from the former military and police officers of Turkey. along with the Taliban troops. The Turkish military will remain on the outer perimeter of the airfield. There will be no other foreign forces in Afghanistan.
The airport will be jointly managed by Turkey and Qatar. Turkish special forces operating in the airport territory partially in civilian clothes will not be withdrawn. Turkey recognizes the Taliban as the only legitimate government in the country.
Why is Kabul International Airport so important? The fact is that in the near future it will remain the only gateway to Afghanistan. Any delegation wishing to come to Kabul for any (even informal) negotiations with the new government will have to coordinate their arrival with the airport administration, that is, with Turkey (and Qatar). In fact, this means that the Turks have received the “right of the first night” – they will first solve all their tasks of the economic and military presence in Afghanistan, and only then they will allow someone else, and that is dosed out.
The Taliban have made Turkey their plenipotentiary in relations with the international community. At least for a while, while the Taliban are busy with their internal tasks, which they have quite a lot. And which they decide quickly enough – 33 governors from 34 provinces have already been appointed, negotiations are underway to form a government.
