Minutes before Taliban-led Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi walked into the Afghan embassy in Delhi, an angry young Afghan stomped out with a flagpole. “I will not let them hoist the Taliban flag as long as I am around,” he said.

“Let the Indian government officially recognise the Taliban government, then they can hoist the Taliban flag,” said the youth, who has worked at the Afghan embassy here for several years. He requested anonymity for fear of retribution back home.

Amid the face-off with the visiting Taliban members, the Afghans stationed in Delhi stood their ground, not allowing them to hoist the flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban call it Emirate, instead of Republic). This was the last pocket of resistance against the Taliban, who will now b

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