Joe Biden says Afghan leaders have to come together and fight against Taliban takeover

Not long after US President Joe Biden decided to withdraw all US troops in Afghanistan, the world has seen the Taliban rapidly make advances towards the country. Biden remains firm on his decision to withdraw US troops and their Afghan interpreters while urging the Afghan government to fight back against the Islamist militant group.

Speaking to the press at the White House Tuesday, Biden urged the Afghan leaders to band together and resist the Taliban’s advances, even as the organization was able to take over almost the entire country according to security and defense officials. Biden added that Afghan troops outnumber the Taliban agents.

“They’ve got to fight for themselves, fight for their nation,” said Biden. The US leader reiterated that he does not regret withdrawing the US from Afghanistan, noting that the country has lost thousands of lives and spent more than $1 trillion over 20 years.

“They have what they need,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Wednesday during a press briefing. “What they need to determine is whether they have the political will to fight back and if they have the ability to unite as leaders to fight back.”

Officials from the European Union have said that the Taliban now have control of 65 percent of Afghanistan. This includes 11 of its provincial capitals. US defense and intelligence officials have revealed anonymously to some outlets that how long Kabul will be able to stand will be whether the Taliban continues to succeed in taking over more parts of Afghanistan.

However, as one official told Reuters, the Afghan troops could still reverse the Taliban’s advances by putting up more resistance to the insurgent group. A recent takeover by the Taliban included the capital of Afghanistan’s northern Badakhshan province Faizabad, which fell overnight. Faizabad fell to the Taliban hours after the group took over Pul-e-Khumri, the provincial capital of Baghlan, as Afghan troops retreated towards the Kelagi desert.

This week, Biden has nominated Elizabeth Prelogar to serve as the Justice Department’s Solicitor General. Prelogar, who previously worked as a clerk for now-Attorney General Merrick Garland during his time as a judge on the DC Circuit, was already the acting Solicitor General for the DOJ. This time, Prelogar is being appointed to serve in the position permanently.