Peter Dutton has warned the Taliban the world is watching Afghanistan

Peter Dutton has delivered an extremely blunt of assessment of who is to blame in Afghanistan and put the Taliban on notice.

Peter Dutton has warned the Taliban “the world is watching” and Australia stands ready to act if terror takes hold in Afghanistan.

Mr Dutton challenged the Taliban to abandon its “barbaric” treatment of women and girls after regaining control of the war-torn country.

“The test is now on them and they need to perform,” he told the ABC on Tuesday night.

The defence minister also demanded allied forces be allowed to safely leave Afghanistan.

Experts have warned the situation in Afghanistan will be a “massive morale boost” for every jihadist on the planet.

Asked whether that suggested a new level of threat for Australia, Mr Dutton urged people to heed the words of US President Joe Biden.

“He was very clear that if another threat similar to al-Qaeda or to Osama bin Laden and the 9-11 attacks, if that manifests itself in Afghanistan … then the United States will strike,” Mr Dutton said.

“And so they should, and we would be supportive of them in disrupting any major terrorist attack, whether it was in the West or elsewhere.

“The United States has the ability in the air, on the ground, to conduct such an attack and people should be hearing that message loud and clear.”

Mr Dutton was extremely blunt while pressed on what the Taliban had achieved.

“What we need to reflect on is the failure of the ability of the Afghans themselves to take up the arms they were given, to use the training that was imparted on them,” he said.

“Many of those from the president down have abandoned their country and in that circumstance, either today, next year or in 20 years’ time, that makes for a very difficult exit.

“And a huge win for the Taliban or whoever it might be if the Afghans themselves aren’t prepared to fight for their own territory.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned Australia’s rescue mission in Afghanistan would not reach “all that it should”.

Mr Morrison confirmed work was underway to evacuate Australian and Afghan workers from Kabul amid the ongoing crisis.

The Taliban reached Kabul on Sunday morning after the militant Islamic group quickly took hold of the final government-controlled provinces last week.

The lightning speed of the Taliban’s advance has left Australia scrambling, as the government is now at the mercy of the US to remain in control of Kabul’s airport and traffic control to get their people out.

Thousands rushed to Kabul Airport on Monday in hope of securing a flight out of Afghanistan. Picture: Wakil Kohsar / AFP

The Prime Minister declined to go into details about the rescue, instead issuing a stark concession that the government may not be able to get everyone home.

“The scenes from Kabul have been absolutely heartbreaking. It's a sobering day for everyone and particularly those who have given so much over the past 20 years and most notably those 41 who were lost,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“I want you to know that we will continue to do everything we can for those who have stood with us, as we have to this day. But I want to talk openly to veterans that despite our best efforts, I know that support won‘t reach all that it should.

“We wish it were different.”

But several journalists at the briefing took issue with Mr Morrison’s comments and pressed the Prime Minister as to why he didn’t act sooner.

Scott Morrison snapped back at a reporter who questioned the integrity of soldiers. Picture: Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire

“You said that ‘you wish it were different’. Couldn‘t the situation be different? We’ve had former soldiers warning for weeks that military evacuation was needed. Why weren’t those calls heeded back then when we were getting those warnings?” one reporter asked.

Mr Morrison said the government had settled 430 Afghan workers since April, insisting the process couldn’t happen overnight.

“I would say that our government has been moving readily now over quite a period of time to bring as many people out as we possibly can, and the job is not yet done,” he said.

“Now, in any circumstance, it's impossible to give 100 per cent guarantees. That’s all I was referring to.”

The Prime Minister was pressed further.

“You were saying you were aware of the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan since May, closed the embassy at that time,” one reporter said.

“Why did it take until now, mid-August, to send these 250 personnel and can you rule out that any of them that have been sent are in any way connected to the Brereton inquiry?”

The Prime Minister, visibly frustrated at the line of questioning, snapped back at the reporter for “casting slurs”.

“These are 250 Australians answering the call of their government to go and help Australians in need, and you're questioning their integrity,” he responded.

“They're going to do their service in our uniform and in our name. I respect it and I would ask others to respect it also and not to cast slurs against their integrity.”

Originally published as Peter Dutton has warned the Taliban the world is watching Afghanistan