The situation for Afghan civilians continues to devolve. Now, Taliban operatives have begun confiscating people’s personal weapons, promising that they “can now feel safe” and that they no longer need firearms.

The terrorist group declared victory on Sunday as they took over the presidential palace and re-established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. In a Twitter video, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar celebrated the organization’s triumph. He said:

We have achieved an unexpected victory. Now is the time to test, to show how we serve our people and ensure their future in the best possible way.

The Times of Israel reported that Baradar was born in 1968 in Kandahar, where the Taliban was birthed. He was freed from a Pakistani prison in 2018 at the behest of the American government.

A spokesman for the Taliban stated that its jihadis have been seizing firearms in Kabul. He acknowledged that while the organization understands “people kept weapons for personal safety,” they “are not here to harm innocent civilians.”

One individual said members of the Taliban came to his place of business on Monday to inquire about guns being kept in his store. Saad Mohseni, a resident of the city, posted his experience with the terrorists in a tweet. He noted that “so far they are polite, enquiring about our weapons (of the security team.”

Taliban soldiers inside our compound in Kabul. So far they are polite, enquiring about our weapons (of the security team). They are collected govt issued weapons. They have also agreed to keep the compound safe pic.twitter.com/vlqHLAvtDL

— Saad Mohseni (@saadmohseni) August 16, 2021

The Independent reported:

The militants have vowed not to harm civilians or carry out reprisal attacks against former government officials, insisting the transfer of power will be peaceful.

However, there have already been a number of reports of executions of people who have been branded “traitors.”

At this moment, it seems the Taliban is still trying to win PR victories as they complete their takeover of the country. The fact that they met with so little resistance seems to underscore the harsh reality that the organization is back in control after a 20-year America-imposed hiatus.

Unfortunately, this was always going to be the result of the U.S. ending the Afghanistan war. It is a stark reminder of how tyranny can win out without much of a struggle. Indeed, there can be no doubt that the Taliban has been vicious in its conquest, but overall, reports are revealing that the group did not need to do as much shooting as one might expect. In essence, this particular story further hammers home the point that Americans must continue to contend for their freedoms.