Members of DC’s Afghan community hold out hope for peace as Taliban sweeps through country

WASHINGTON - Crowds gathered outside of the White House Sunday calling for the U.S. to support Afghans caught in the chaos after the Taliban swept into Kabul and overthrew the Afghanistan government.

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Many of those who gathered carried signs and demanded U.S. President Biden's administration keep the U.S. embassy open and offer protection to those who helped America over the last 20 years.

The country's Western-trained security forces collapsed or fled over the weekend as the Taliban tore through the country in just over a week ahead of the planned withdrawal of the last American troops at the end of the month.

Afghan-American Hamid Naweed, who is a writer, author and whose family owns an Afghan restaurant in D.C. spoke to FOX 5 about the turmoil. "When you don't know what is going on -- when you don't know what will be the future -- what will be happening to the country -- obviously, you will be very concerned and nervous," Naweed said. But I am at least content right now that there is not so much bloodshed going on in the country and the Taliban has promised not to fight.

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Naweed said that he is hopeful that after 40 years of war the country will finally see peace.

The U.S. Embassy has been evacuated and the American flag lowered, with diplomats relocating to the airport to aid with the evacuation.

Many fear a return to the kind of brutal rule the Taliban imposed when it was last in power. Over the weekend the Taliban freed thousands of prisoners and the police disappeared.

More than 3,500 U.S. and allied troops have been killed in Afghanistan as well as tens of thousands of Afghans.