Afghanistan crisis live updates: 'Taliban capture Panjshir, now in full control of Afghanistan'

The new, Taliban-appointed head of Afghanistan's central bank has sought to reassure banks the group wants a fully-functioning financial system, but has so far provided little detail on how it will supply funds to sustain it, said four bankers familiar with the matter. The acting central bank governor, Haji Mohammad Idris, met members of the Afghanistan Banks Association and other bankers this week, and told them that the Taliban viewed the banking sector as imperative, said two bankers who attended the meeting. Uncertainty over the Taliban's relationship with the international community is raising doubts over its ability to revive an economy shattered by 40 years of war and reliant on aid and foreign currency reserves, the latter largely out of reach in the United States. The militant group which now controls the country was working to find solutions for liquidity and rising inflation, the bankers quoted Idris as saying.

The Taliban is a ruthless group from the past, a top American general said, noting that it remains to be seen if the organisation has changed or not. “We don't know what the future of the Taliban is, but I can tell you from personal experience that this is a ruthless group from the past, and whether or not they change remains to be seen,” Joint US Chiefs Of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley told reporters at a Pentagon news conference. “And as far as our dealings with them at that airfield or in the past year or so, in war, you do what you must in order to reduce risk to the mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do,” he said responding to questions on cooperation with the Taliban.

The Taliban have said that the new government in Afghanistan will be announced in a day or two as all formalities have been completed following two weeks of consultations with all stakeholders. The group had earlier said it would announce a government after all foreign forces had completely withdrawn from Afghanistan. The last of the remaining American troops had departed late on Monday night after handing over control of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport to the Taliban.