Afghanistan: US troops in Kabul to evacuate diplomats

The first American troops sent to evacuate diplomats from Afghanistan have arrived in Kabul. Germany says it's reducing the staffing at its embassy to an absolute minimum, and Denmark and Norway are closing their embassies in the city.

A Pentagon official has said that the Taliban could be back in power in Kabul faster than previously thought. We'll get the latest updates on the balance of power between the miltant group and the Afghan forces. Our regional experts and reporters will be answering listeners' questions about the situation.

And, we’ll get questions answered about the pandemic by our regular expert, Dr Marc Mendelson in Cape Town, South Africa.

(Photo: Taliban militants gather after taking control of Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand, Afghanistan, 13 August 2021 Credit: STRINGER/EPA)