The Taliban are promising a new era of peace in Afghanistan, with amnesty for those they have been battling for two decades and a return to normal life.
But Afghans who remember the Taliban's brutal rule and those who have lived in areas controlled by the Islamic militants in recent years have watched with growing fear as the insurgents have overrun most of the country while international forces withdraw.
Government offices, shops and schools are still shuttered in areas recently captured by the Taliban, with many residents either lying low or fleeing to the capital, Kabul.
But already there are indications of a return to the harsh version of Islamic rule Afghans lived under from 1996 until 2001, when the US drove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.
Many fear the Taliban will roll back two decades of gains by women and ethnic minorities while restricting the work of journalists and NGO workers.
An entire generation of Afghans was raised on hopes of building a modern, democratic state - dreams that seem to have melted away before the Taliban's relentless advance.
The world is witnessing the horror and people across the globe are calling upon their respective governments to send help.
Horrific scenes are coming out of Afghanistan and are going viral on social media relaying the state of affairs in the nation.
Social media websites are flooded with concerns about what will happen next and prayers for those in Afghanistan, especially women and children.
Here's what people are saying. Have a look.
(By agencies)
