We want the world to trust us Taliban says Afghanistan emancipated in first news conference from Kabul

The Taliban "wants the world to trust us" and is not seeking revenge in Afghanistan after regaining control of the country, the group has said in a news conference.

A spokesman for the militant group said Afghanistan has now been "emancipated" as he appealed to people not to interfere in the transfer of power.

Speaking at the Afghan presidential palace, Zabihullah Mujahid said the group's top priority is to create "law and order" for the capital Kabul - and assured the people of the city they would "live in peace".

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Taliban holds first news conference

He referred to Afghanistan as the "Islamic Emirate" and said the Taliban "holds no grudge against anyone".

Mr Mujahid said the group is committed to the rights of women within the framework of Sharia - a religious law forming part of the Islamic tradition.

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Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson has discussed the situation by telephone with US President Joe Biden, with the two leaders agreeing to continue working closely together in the weeks ahead to allow as many people as possible to leave the country and to prevent a humanitarian crisis.

Afghanistan live updates: All the latest as the Taliban establish new government

More on Afghanistan Image: The international community has expressed concern at the treatment of women under the regime

Key points from Taliban's news conference:

The Taliban do not want fighting in Afghanistan and their main priority is to "maintain law and order in Kabul". They say their top priority is "security and peace".

The group wants to "assure the world", including the USA, that Afghanistan soil will not be used against any country in the world.

The Taliban "don't want any internal or external enemies" and the country is now emancipated.

They recognise the rights of women "that Islam gave them" and say women can work, go to school, and can work in schools and in hospitals.

The Taliban will "develop" the economy in Afghanistan and "want the world to trust us so we can work for the betterment of Afghan people".

It has also assured the safety of all those who have worked with the US and other forces. Translators or contractors who worked for foreign powers are all pardoned and there will be no revenge against them, the briefing was told.

The group has directed its fighters "not to harm anybody, not to knock at any door unnecessarily".

Speaking to reporters, Mr Mujahid also gave assurances over the safety of those who had worked with American and allied forces.

He said the Taliban does "not want them to leave the country" but wants them to use their skills to serve the new regime - and they "will be pardoned".

Image: A new life under the Taliban has begun in Afghanistan

The Taliban "don't want any internal or external enemies", he said, and also said "we will work with" the world to create a successful Afghanistan.

Earlier, Boris Johnson has spoken on the phone to his Pakistani counterpart, Imran Khan, with the UK prime minister telling him that recognition of a future Taliban government in Afghanistan will "be subject to them upholding internationally-agreed standards on human rights and inclusivity".

And a United Nations spokeswoman said the body needs to see action from the Taliban on the ground in Afghanistan.

"We will need to see what actually happens and I think we will need to see acts on the ground in terms of promises kept," Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

Image: Afghan girls attending school in Kabul

Pentagon officials said earlier they had experienced "no hostile reactions, no attack and no threat by the Taliban" as the US and western allies have sought to evacuate diplomats and civilians at Kabul's airport.

The news conference - the first staged by the militant group after it seized control of Afghanistan in a rapid wave over the weekend - began with a recitation from the Quran by Taliban spokesman Mr Mujahid.

What did we learn from the Taliban news conference?

Analysis by Deborah Haynes, foreign affairs editor

They have swept into power but there isn't yet a government being formed. They said at the end that they're speaking to all the different parties and that they want everybody to be involved. At the same time they said that it will be a strong Islamic government.

The other top lines are that there would be an amnesty for people who'd worked with the previous government or other countries, that they didn't have to leave the country. They appealed for Afghanistan's bright young people to stay and work.

There will be a lot of doubt about whether that will play out in reality as there are already reports of armed men knocking on doors asking uncomfortable questions.

I thought it was striking that they kept saying women and girls would be allowed education up to university, they'll be allowed to go to work, all in line with Islamic law.

But a female journalist asked if people like her, female journalists, would be allowed to work in the same way as the last 20 years. There wasn't a straight answer to that question.

The one other key message, and they reiterated this twice, was that Afghanistan will not pose a threat to the rest of the world.

They were asked about the relationship with al Qaeda, a relationship that runs deep and that analysts don't believe will be severed, but clearly the Taliban realised that if the country is used by terrorists it will draw international intervention once more.

It comes after the militant group told Sky News that women would be able to pursue education up to a university level and will have the right to work in Afghanistan.

However, the Taliban said: "Our women are Muslim and will be happy to live within the framework of our law."

Mr Mujahid said that women would be allowed to work in schools and hospitals.

He said Afghans gave "great sacrifices for the establishment of an Islamic government and they have the right to implement Sharia law".

Different countries "have their own laws" and "Afghans have the rights to live under their own laws", he added.

He said he can also "assure the world", including the USA, that Afghanistan soil will not be used against any country in the world.

The group said it is "still working" on the set-up of the government, but once the war is over, its focus will be on building up the economy.

The new government is also committed to a "free and independent media", Mr Mujahid claimed, however, he said he had "requests", including that "Islamic values should be taken into account when it comes to the activities of the media".

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He said the media "should not work against national values, against national unity".

Taliban fighters have been directed not to harm anybody and "not to knock at any door unnecessarily". He says they have also been told not to stop any car unnecessarily.

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