The Taliban has addressed the people of Afghanistan for the first time since seizing control of the country.
In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced they "don't want enemies" as he said they want to make sure "Afghanistan is not the battlefield of conflict anymore."
'Emancipating' the country is a proud moment after 20 years of struggle, he said, while Mr Mujahid also assured women's rights would be respected within the 'frameworks of Sharia law' when quizzed by journalists.
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He added: "Our women are Muslim, they will also be happy to be living within our framework of Sharia.”
His comments are in response to concerns raised over a 'dark future' for women following the fall of the country’s Western-backed government.
The Taliban takeover has sparked worry they will reimpose the harsh restrictions on women’s rights that existed before the insurgents were ousted in 2001 - where women were not allowed to go to school, work outside or even leave the house without a man.
Speaking from Kabul - the country's capital which in recent days has seen its airport flooded with Afghans and foreign nations scrambling to flee amid fearing a return to Taliban rule - Mr Mujahid told journalists: “The Islamic Emirate is committed to the rights of women within the framework of Sharia.
“Our sisters … have the same rights, will be able to benefit from their rights. They can have activities in different sectors and different areas on the basis of our rules and regulations, educational, health and other areas."
He said nobody should be “worried about our norms and principles”.
However no detail was provided as to what rights or framework he was referring to.
The Taliban spokesman also claimed the military group will build up Afghanistan’s economy and is committed to a “free and independent media”.
However, he said he had “requests” for the media including that “nothing should be against Islamic values when it comes to the activities of the media, therefore Islamic values should be taken into account when it comes to the activities of the media”.
He said the media “should not work against national values, against national unity”.
Mr Mujahid added: “When it comes to ethnic differences, religious differences and hostilities, they should not be actually promoted by the media, they should work … for the unity of the nation to have peaceful, brotherly living together.”
The press conference comes two days after President Ashraf Ghani fled, bringing an end to a two-decade campaign in which the US and its allies had tried to transform the country.
Afghanistan’s Western-trained security forces collapsed in a matter of days, even before the withdrawal of the last US troops.
The Taliban, which ruled from 1996 to 2001, has sought to project greater moderation in recent times, but many Afghans remain sceptical and fear a rollback of individual rights gained in recent years.
The group harboured Osama bin Laden and al Qaida in the years before they carried out the September 11 2001 attacks, which sparked a US-led invasion that rapidly scattered al Qaida and drove the Taliban from power.
But the US lost focus during the Iraq war and the Taliban eventually regrouped.
The militants captured much of the Afghan countryside but have then swept into cities as US forces prepared to withdraw ahead of an August 31 deadline.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has today told the prime minister of Pakistan that recognition of a future Taliban government in Afghanistan will “be subject to them upholding internationally-agreed standards on human rights and inclusivity”.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister spoke to Pakistani prime minister (Imran) Khan this afternoon about the situation in Afghanistan.
“The Prime Minister stressed his commitment to work with international partners to avoid a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan and the wider region.
“The Prime Minister underlined that any recognition of the new government in Afghanistan is to happen on an international, not unilateral basis.
“He said that the legitimacy of any future Taliban government will be subject to them upholding internationally-agreed standards on human rights and inclusivity.
“The Prime Minister and prime minister Khan agreed their governments will keep in close contact in the coming days on the evolving situation.”
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