What we know about the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and what comes next

The Taliban have taken control of Afghanistan two weeks before the United States is supposed to end its two-decade war in the country.
As Afghan security personnel trained and equipped by the US and its allies slipped away, militants rushed over the nation, taking all major cities in a matter of days.

Here's what happened and what's next:
WHERE IS AFGHANISTAN RIGHT NOW?

The Taliban, a militant group that ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s, has retaken power.

The rebels were driven from power by the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, but they never left. The Western-backed administration that has ruled the country for 20 years has disintegrated after a recent blitz across the country. Afghans, fearful of the future, rushed to the airport, one of the country's final exit points.

WHY ARE PEOPLE RUNNING AWAY FROM THE COUNTRY?
They are concerned that the country would devolve into disorder, or that the Taliban will retaliate against individuals who worked with the Americans or the government.

Many people also fear that the Taliban would reintroduce the strict interpretation of Islamic law that they used to rule Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Women were not allowed to go to school or work outside the home back then. Every time they went outside, they had to wear the all-encompassing burqa and be accompanied by a male relative. The Taliban outlawed music, severed thieves' hands, and stoned adulterers.
In recent years, the Taliban have attempted to portray themselves as a more moderate group. They have committed to preserve women's rights, pardon those who fought against them, and prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base for terrorist activities since they took power. However, many Afghans are wary of those assurances.