Afghan president vows to prevent instability as war rages

KABUL -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday vowed to prevent instability in his war-battered country amid the raging war between the Taliban and the government forces.

"It is a matter of pride that the security and defence forces of Afghanistan have defended the country and ensuring harmony among the forces is my priority," Ghani said in his short televised address to the nation.

The president pledged that he would not allow further instability in his country. He said, "The Afghans are suffering due to the imposed war and I assure you to prevent the further suffering of the people of Afghanistan and this is my historic responsibility."

President Ghani also said he initiated "consultations with the people of Afghanistan, including political leaders and international friends" and the outcome would be announced soon.

The Taliban militants have reportedly seized 19 provincial capitals in the country's 34 provinces.

Taliban advance makes US, others feel tense

Taliban fighters are now camped just 50 kilometres (30 miles) away, leaving the United States and other countries scrambling to airlift their nationals out of Kabul ahead of a feared all-out assault.

Heavy fighting was also reported around Mazar-i-Sharif, an isolated holdout in the north where warlord and former vice president Abdul Rashid Dostum had gathered his virulently anti-Taliban militia.

The only other cities of any significance not to be taken yet were Jalalabad, Gardez, and Khost -- Pashtun-dominated and unlikely to offer much resistance now. 

US embassy staff told to shred, burn sensitive material

In Kabul, US embassy staff were ordered to begin shredding and burning sensitive material, as the first American troops from a planned 3,000-strong re-deployment started arriving to secure the airport and oversee evacuations.

A host of European countries -- including Britain, Germany, Denmark and Spain -- all announced the withdrawal of personnel from their embassies on Friday.

For Kabul residents and the tens of thousands who have sought refuge there in recent weeks, the overwhelming mood was one of confusion and fear.