Taliban declares Afghan 'war over' as they take control of Kabul- News 360 Tv

Taliban declares Afghan 'war over' as they take control of Kabul- News 360 TvThe Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan was over on Monday after they took control of the presidential palace in Kabul.

In a video released from the Taliban in an unidentified location, deputy leader Mullah Bararda Akhund made their address:

"We congratulate the great victory to the whole Afghan nation especially to the people of Kabul."

It has taken the Taliban just over a week to seize control of the country after a lightning sweep that ended in Kabul.

Afghan forces, trained for years and equipped by the U.S. at a cost of billions of dollars - faded away.

On Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani fled the country saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed.

Hundreds of Afghans flooded Kabul's airport in the dark, desperate to leave on one of the last commercial flights before U.S. forces took over air traffic control.

A Taliban leader told Reuters that the insurgents were regrouping in different provinces, and would wait until foreign forces had left the country before creating a new governance structure.

The leader, who requested to be anonymous, said Taliban fighters had been "ordered to allow Afghans to resume daily activities and do nothing to scare civilians."

Many Afghans fear the Taliban will return to past harsh practices in their imposition of sharia, or Islamic religious law.

During their rule from 1996 to 2001, women could not work and punishments included stoning and hanging.

The Taliban appears to be trying to project a moderate image in statements and to media outlets.