Taliban to Announce New Afghan Gov’t Tomorrow

The Taliban announced, on Friday, that forming a new government in Afghanistan would now not happen until Saturday at the earliest.

They were close to forming a new government with intense pressure over their vow to rule Afghanistan with greater tolerance, especially on women's rights.

Forming a new administration, earlier expected to be made after Friday afternoon prayers, would now not happen until Saturday at the earliest, a Taliban spokesman told AFP.

Meanwhile, the group is facing the enormous challenge of shifting gears from insurgent group to governing power, days after the United States fully withdrew its troops and ended two decades of war.

While the West has adopted a wait-and-see approach to the Taliban, there were some signs of engagement with the new leaders gathering pace.

China confirmed a tweet from a Taliban spokesman hours earlier, pointing out that Beijing will keep open its embassy in Kabul.

"We hope the Taliban will establish an open and inclusive political structure, pursue moderate and stable domestic and foreign policy and make a clean break with all terrorist groups," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.