DNA Explainer: What happens next, now that US forces have left Afghanistan?

Afghanistan is now officially under Taliban rule with no US troops there for the first time in two decades. The two-week-long evacuation process ended with US troops, American citizens and thousands of at-risk Afghans airlifted from the war-torn country.

More than 114,000 people were airlifted from Kabul airport in the past two weeks as part of the US effort. NATO forces withdrew from Afghanistan following a deal between the US and the Taliban, ending 20 years of war with the militants after the US military threw them out of power in 2001.

But this is not the end of the story. A new chapter is about to be written, this time with or without blood is for the world to see and make evaluations of how fruitful was the US military involvement in Afghanistan. It will raise a new set of questions for US President Joe Biden and his administration who are already at the receiving end of many - from former President Donald Trump to former diplomats and opposition leaders.

Not just for the US, questions are also being asked about how the Taliban will govern the country, and what their rule means for women, human rights, and political freedoms. The Afghan conflict has already killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.

What happens to Americans and at-risk Afghans who stay back

The United States has evacuated more than 5,500 US citizens since the evacuation process began on August 14.

A small number of American citizens have chosen to stay back in Afghanistan, many to be with their family members.

Tens of thousands of at-risk Afghans, like interpreters who worked with the US military, journalists, and women's rights advocates, are left behind.

Taliban have pledged to allow all foreign nationals and  Afghan citizens with travel authorisation from another country to leave Afghanistan.

This was announced in a joint statement issued by Britain, the United States, and other countries on Sunday.

What happens next for the nation?

How the Taliban plans to govern Afghanistan is still not clear and uncertainties loom large.

The future of women in Afghanistan remains uncertain from freedom to work, to dress, or even to move freely.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen says the group will respect the rights of women and minorities 'as per Afghan norms and Islamic values'.

Taliban militants had declared an amnesty across Afghanistan and said it wanted women to join its government.

Another fear is that the country may once again become a breeding ground for terrorists taking training here.

Taliban officials insist that they will fully adhere to the US deal and prevent any group from using Afghan soil as a base for attacks against the US and its allies.

They say they aim only to implement an 'Islamic government' and will not pose a threat to any other country.

But many analysts believe the Taliban and al-Qaeda are inseparable, with Qaeda fighters engaged in training activities. 

Taliban are not a centralised and unified force. Taliban hardliners may be reluctant to break ties with al-Qaeda. 

Presently, how powerful al-Qaeda is and whether it could now rebuild its global network is also unclear.

Then there is the regional branch of the Islamic State group - ISKP (Khorasan Province) - which the Taliban oppose.

What happens to Kabul airport?

The Taliban are in talks with the governments of Qatar and Turkey to seek assistance to continue civilian flight operations from there.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that repairs need to be made at Kabul airport before it can be reopened to civilian flights.

Turkey, which is part of the NATO mission, has been responsible for security at the airport for the past six years.

Keeping the Kabul airport open is vital for Afghanistan to stay connected to the world and for Afghans who seek to leave the country.

The Kabul airport needs to be kept open to maintain foreign aid supplies and operations.