The News Nigeria
Some Kabul residents cautiously ventured back to work through quiet streets on Tuesday, fearful after a night broken by the sound of gunfire and facing questions from their new Taliban rulers who have set up checkpoints across the Afghan capital.
The Islamist Taliban, who stopped women from working and administered punishments including public stoning during their previous 1996-2001 rule, swept the country in days as U.S.-backed government forces melted away.
By Sunday evening the Taliban had captured Kabul.
While the Taliban have pledged there will be no retribution against opponents and promised to respect the rights of women, minorities, and foreigners, many Afghans are sceptical.
But they also know life must go on.
“I am scared but what made me open my shop is to feed my family,” 48-year-old grocery shopkeeper Mohammadullah told Reuters by phone.
“I don’t have any other way of income.
“If I don’t open my shop then how can I feed my family of 12,” he said, adding that there were far fewer customers than usual.
Residents said the majority of shops and supermarkets in Kabul were shuttered and schools were closed.
They said, however, that some small grocery shops and butchers were open, as were hospitals.
Traffic was light, but there were several pick-up trucks with mounted white flags that were carrying Taliban gunmen.
“It was with the nation supporting us that the Americans failed here, and the Islamic system is established,” a Taliban comman…
