Nearly 200 foreign nationals, including Americans, flew out of Afghanistan on an international commercial flight from Kabul airport on Thursday, according to news agencies. It is reportedly said that the foreigners were allowed to leave Afghanistan include 30 Americans in the first airlift since the final US withdrawal.

This is the first international flights to take off since the Taliban took control of Kabul in mid-August.

In a report, news agency AFP quoted a person in Doha, who was briefed on the operation said, “Not all 200 are US citizens. There are American citizens amongst the group departing Kabul to Doha.”

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This development of the Taliban allowing the departure of charter flights carrying non-Afghans comes two days after the Islamist hardliners announced an interim government.

The interim government will be headed by Mullah Hassan Akhund.

According to Reuters, a US official claimed that the Taliban were pressed by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to allow the departures.

Meanwhile, Qatar-based Al Jazeera TV broadcasted the visuals from Hamid Karzai International Airport which showed women, children, and the elderly waiting there with suitcases.

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While the Taliban have shown interest in engaging with regional and Western governments, most of the democratic countries are apprehensive about the assurance given by the insurgents regarding inclusivity and human rights.

On the other side, the Taliban has said that Afghanistan women will no longer be able to participate in sports including cricket as sporting activities would “expose their bodies”.

Speaking to reporters, Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban’s cultural commission said that sports activities were not necessary for women.

“I don’t think women will be allowed to play cricket because it is not necessary that women should play cricket,” Wasiq said. “In cricket, they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this,” he added.

“It is the media era, and there will be photos and videos, and then people will watch it. Islam and the Islamic Emirate (Afghanistan) do not allow women to play cricket or play the kind of sports where they get exposed,” Wasiq added.

Also, the Taliban had decreed that only a woman teacher would teach female students but if that was not possible then “old men” of good character could fill in.