Image source, Getty Images

Western Union is resuming money-transfer services to Afghanistan, a senior executive told Reuters news agency on Thursday, after the firm suspended operations two weeks ago.

Jean Claude Farah, Western Union's president in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the decision was part of an American push to allow humanitarian activity to continue after the Taliban's takeover.

"Much of our business involving Afghanistan is low-value family and support remittances that support basic needs of the people there, so that's the grounding that we have and why we want to reopen our business," he said.

Image source, Getty Images

South Africa has turned down a request to host Afghans who have fled into Pakistan, saying it is already accommodating "a substantial number" of refugees from elsewhere.

The government said it had been asked "to consider receiving a number of Afghanistan refugees who have sought refuge in Pakistan".

"The request is that they be accommodated in South Africa en route to their final destinations," the foreign ministry said.

"The South African government is unfortunately not in a position to accommodate such a request."

South Africa is a major destination for economic migrants and has one of the world's most progressive refugee policies. It drew more than a million asylum-seekers between 2007 and 2015.

However, rights groups say there is a significant paperwork backlog and most applicants find themselves stuck in limbo.

Image source, Reuters

The Taliban say they have surrounded the last province resisting their takeover - Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley. But the local militias and former Afghan army soldiers there say they will never surrender.

The man leading the valley's anti-Taliban forces is Ahmad Massoud - a 32-year-old Sandhurst Royal Military Academy graduate, and son of legendary resistance commander Ahmad Shah Massoud.

His father, known as the “lion of Panjshir”, famously defended the region against the Soviet occupation in the 1980s and the Taliban regime in the 1990s. He was assassinated by an Al Qaeda suicide squad in 2001, when Ahmad Massoud was a teenager.

After training in Britain as a foreign cadet at Sandhurst and doing a degree in War Studies at King’s College London, Ahmad Massoud returned to Afghanistan in 2016. He founded the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front (NRF) last month.

"I would prefer to die than to surrender," Massoud said in his first interview since the Taliban took over Kabul. "I'm the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud. Surrender is not a word in my vocabulary."

He now leads several thousand members of local militias and remnants of army units.

But he’s called for international support to help take on the Taliban in the wake of the US military withdrawal.

British media today is full of reports that a "blame game" is raging over Afghanistan between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been in Qatar for talks, a day after he defended his handling of the crisis at a hearing of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.

Raab told MPs that the UK was “caught out” by the speed of the fall of Kabul, with intelligence at the time suggesting the capital would hold out until the end of the year.

However, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the Spectator magazine on Thursday that he thought the “game was up” for the Afghan government as early as July, external.

BBC chief political correspondent Adam Fleming says that is similar to a document produced by officials at the Foreign Office which emerged during the committee hearing. It warned on 22 July that the fall of Kabul could be imminent.

The Foreign Office said the paper was prepared by officials for internal use and should not be confused with the government’s central, official intelligence estimate, which suggested there was more time, our correspondent adds.

The Labour party has called for an end to the “unseemly infighting" at the top of the British government.

More now on that meeting of EU defence ministers, where they discussed proposals for a rapid response force independent of the US, which could react quickly to crises.

The ministers have been meeting in Slovenia and are expected to give more details later. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters the need for more European defence had never been so clear.

Borrell said he expected more details to emerge in a couple of months but believed the EU needed groups that were "more operational".

Slovenia's defence minister, Matej Tonin, said a rapid reaction force could number between 5,000 and 20,000 troops from "willing countries".

Image source, Getty Images

Qatar is working with the Taliban to re-open Kabul's airport as soon as possible, the country's foreign minister has said.

Qatar is also urging the Taliban to allow Afghans to leave, he added.

Hamid Karzai International Airport was the scene of a chaotic evacuation which ended with the withdrawal of the United States on Tuesday. The airport is currently out of operation.

"We are working very hard (and) we remain hopeful that we will be able to operate it as soon as possible," said Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.

"Hopefully in the next few days we will hear some good news," he told a news conference in Doha.

A flight carrying a team of technicians from Qatar became the first plane to land in Kabul since the evacuations on Wednesday.

As reported earlier, the UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has met leaders in Qatar to discussion the situation in Afghanistan.

Away from Kabul and events in the Panjshir Valley, there's been a rare protest by women in the western city of Herat, calling for the right to education and work.

About 50 took to the streets, and the BBC's Suhrab Sirat posted these pictures, shot by Omid Haqjoo.

An AFP journalist who witnessed the rally said they were chanting, "It is our right to have education, work and security", and "We are not afraid, we are united."

One of the organisers, Basira Taheri, told AFP she wanted the Taliban to include women in the new government.

"We want the Taliban to hold consultations with us," she said. "We don't see any women in their gatherings and meetings."

Image source, Getty Images

European defence ministers are meeting in Slovenia amid growing pressure to bolster Europe's defence capabilities following the scrambled withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said what he called the "Afghanistan debacle" was an event that would catalyse history.

"We Europeans found ourselves - not only for the evacuations out of the Kabul airport but also more broadly - depending on American decisions," he wrote in the New York Times., external

"That should serve as a wake-up call for anyone who cares about the Atlantic alliance. The United States understandably does not want to do everything alone. To become a more capable ally, Europe must invest more in its security capabilities and develop the ability to think and act in strategic terms," he added.

"The events in Afghanistan have been harrowing. But they should lead us to deepen, not divide, the alliance with America. And to strengthen our cooperation, Europe must step up."

One idea floated by some EU nations is a 5,000-strong force for rapid deployment.

You may not have heard of the Panjshir Valley, north of Kabul, where the Taliban are clashing with opposition groups and remnants of the Afghan army.

But the area is of huge importance.

The remote valley with a narrow entrance is little more than 30 miles (48km) or so from the capital. It's protected by high mountain peaks - which are an imposing natural barrier and offer protection for the people living there.

And as we just reported, it has a long history of resistance having been a stronghold against Soviet forces in the 1980s and the Taliban in the '90s.

It is the only province to hold out against the Islamist group, although there has also been fighting in neighbouring Baghlan province between Taliban and local militias.

Read more here.

Image source, AFP

After a flurry of news out of Qatar, let's turn back to Afghanistan where the Taliban have surrounded the only remaining province resisting their rule.

A senior leader on Wednesday called on rebels in the mountainous Panjshir Valley to negotiate a settlement with the group.

Rebels there say they want a decentralised state with power shared between different ethnic groups.

The valley has been a flashpoint in Afghanistan's recent turbulent history - having been a stronghold against Soviet forces in the 1980s, and the Taliban in the '90s.

In a recorded speech addressed to Afghans in Panjshir, senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Motaqi called on the rebels to put down their weapons.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is home for all Afghans," he said.

Tom Bateman
BBC Middle East correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Following that press conference, you might be wondering why the UK foreign secretary has held talks with officials in Qatar about the situation in Afghanistan.

What's the link between the two countries?

Well, Qatar has become a key mediator and facilitator when it comes to Afghanistan. It has long had close ties with the Taliban, and it also hosted the recent negotiations with the US.

The Twitter feed of Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Lolwah Alkhater, reads like a conveyer belt of retweeted tributes from world powers.

"Qatar... continues to be a trusted mediator in this conflict," she wrote earlier this month.

Officials in the small, gas-rich state have also provided a lifeline for countries trying to exit Afghanistan in recent weeks.

"No-one has been able to do any major evacuation process out of Afghanistan without having a Qatari involved in some way or another," explains Dina Esfandiary, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, a think tank which studies global conflict.

You can read more of Tom's analysis here.

As we've been reporting, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been speaking in Qatar after meeting with leaders there to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Here are the main takeaways:

• Raab said the UK government would "not be recognising the Taliban any time in the foreseeable future"
• But he added that "we do see the need for direct engagement" with the Taliban. Raab added that co-operation on border crossings was an "important first test" of the Taliban's relationship with the West
• The UK is attempting to build a regional coalition to "exert the maximum moderating influence" on the Taliban. Raab said Qatar would be an "influential player" in exerting a moderating influence on the Taliban
• His discussions in Qatar have focused on not allowing Afghanistan to become a haven for terrorism, preventing a humanitarian crisis, preserving regional stability, and the safeguarding of women's rights

Read more here.

The UK foreign secretary says a grouping needs to be formed to "exert the maximum moderating influence" on the Taliban.

"There's a lot of countries with a direct stake about what happens in Afghanistan, as well as countries who will feel and be moved by the humanitarian risk and the plight," Raab says.

"We will certainly be judging them, yes on their words, but more importantly on what they do to live up to the assurances they've made."

Dominic Raab tells the press conference about the four key things he has discussed with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Qatar's prime minister.

"I think there are four key things that we've discussed and we are very like-minded on; the first is making sure Afghanistan is not a haven or harbour to terrorists again," he says.

"Secondly, preventing a humanitarian crisis and again that's why we've doubled our aid spending for Afghanistan this year. The knock-on effect of that is third; to preserve regional stability.

"Fourth to test and hold to account the Taliban on their commitments... and obviously we'll be looking very carefully at what happens in the field of human rights and the treatment of women and girls."

More now from UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab who is speaking from Qatar.

He says the UK government "will not be recognising the Taliban any time in the foreseeable future", but adds "we do see the need for direct engagement".

"I think there is an important scope for engagement and dialogue to test the assurances that have already been made by the Taliban," he tells the Doha news conference.

Asked if he feels guilty about those left behind in Afghanistan, Raab says the UK has secured safe passage out for more than 17,000 people.

"We feel a sense of responsibility to make sure that the remaining British nationals and Afghan workers can come to the UK," he adds.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been giving a press conference in Qatar.

He says that the UK must now "adjust to the new reality" as it prioritises efforts to help the remaining British and Afghan citizens to leave Afghanistan.

"Our immediate priority is to secure the safe passage of those remaining British nationals, but also the Afghans who worked for the United Kingdom and indeed others who may be at most risk," he says.

Image source, Downing Street

As we just mentioned in our round-up of the latest headlines, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is in Doha for talks with Qatari leaders.

Let's take a deeper look at why he's there and what might be discussed.

The talks are expected to cover how to best help British nationals and Afghans who are trying to leave Afghanistan. The prospect of persuading the Taliban to reopen Kabul airport will also be high on the agenda.

Raab will also be briefed on talks between UK officials and the Taliban.

Qatar has become a key negotiator with the Taliban, which has had a political office in the country for eight years. The Gulf state has already begun discussions about how best to ensure security at Kabul airport.

Raab's flight came hours after he was grilled by MPs about the UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The foreign secretary defended his handling of the crisis, saying the UK was "caught out" by the speed of the fall of Kabul, with intelligence at the time suggesting it would hold out until the end of the year.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Thanks for joining our live coverage of developments in Afghanistan. We'll be bringing you updates here throughout the day. For now, here's the latest:

• UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is in Doha for talks with Qatari leaders on how to help British nationals and Afghans who are trying to leave Afghanistan
• The prospect of persuading the Taliban to reopen Kabul airport will be among the key issues discussed. Raab will also be briefed on talks between UK officials and the Taliban
• The top US general has described the Taliban as a "ruthless group" and says it is unclear whether they will change
• But Gen Mark Milley said it was "possible" that the US would co-ordinate with the Islamist militants on future counter-terrorism operations
• European defence ministers are meeting in Slovenia amid growing pressure to bolster Europe's defence capabilities following the scrambled withdrawal from Afghanistan
• Meanwhile, a new Taliban government is expected to be announced within the coming days

Image source, Reuters

Thanks for following today's live page on the situation in Afghanistan. We're pausing our coverage for now.

Before we go, here are some of the main developments from today:

• The US top army general Mark Milley said the Taliban are ruthless but also said the US could co-operate with them in the fight against the Islamic State group
• UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says it is not known how many people eligible to come to the UK remain in Afghanistan
• He also said that the UK was "caught out" by the speed of the fall of Kabul with intelligence expecting it to hold until the end of the year
• A spokesperson for the Taliban said a new Afghan government could be announced in the next two days and will be inclusive
• He added that the airport would be ready to resume operations in two days
• Fewer than 100 of the 700 female journalists in Kabul before the Taliban takeover are still formally working, a report has found

As we reported earlier, the US defence secretary and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff held a briefing for reporters in which they highly praised US troops for the conduct of America's longest war.

Gen Mark Milley spoke of the "anger and pain" of the war, as you can see below.

Now that the country is back under the control of the same militants the US went into Afghanistan to oust, many questions remain about the usefulness of this costly engagement.

More imminently, the unexpectedly fast pace of events that led to the Taliban to seize district after district - and then the entire country within days - sparked off a frantic effort to evacuate foreign nationals and local Afghans who had worked for them. US soldiers deployed to help with the evacuations sought the co-operation of the militants on the ground.

Asked if the US military would co-operate in the future with the Taliban in fighting the Islamic State - Khorasan, the group which mounted the deadly attack on crowds seeking to flee at Kabul airport, Gen Milley said: “It’s possible.”