There are 34 provinces in Afghanistan
In recent months
Government forces and the Taliban
Fierce fighting is taking place in about half of the provinces
9 and 10 August
The Taliban have captured four more provincial capitals
Since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in early May
Fighting between government forces and the Taliban
has been intensifying
The Taliban have recently launched a major offensive against the city
As fighting intensifies in the northern provinces
Thousands of families in the war zone have fled their homes
Afghan Taliban: Captured Second and Third Largest Cities in Afghanistan
Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid announced on social media on the 13th, the Taliban captured the capital of Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan, the capital of the western province of Herat, Herat City and the capital of the western province of Badghis, Nauburg City. Kandahar and Herat are the second and third largest cities in Afghanistan, respectively. So far, the Afghan Taliban have announced the capture of 13 provincial capitals.
So far, the Afghan government has not responded to the Taliban’s claims.
Afghanistan’s acting interior minister Abdul Sattar Mirzaquul said in a recent media interview, “Government forces are concentrating on the protection of major transportation roads, major cities and important ports.” Meanwhile, the Afghan government is arming local militias to fight taliban attacks.
It was also reported that the U.S. government announced on the 12th, due to the rapid deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan, the U.S. side will further withdraw diplomatic personnel in Afghanistan, and announced the dispatch of thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Afghan capital Kabul airport to ensure the safe evacuation of diplomats.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced in April that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would begin withdrawing on May 1st and completely by September 11th. On July 8, Biden said the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan would end on August 31. As U.S. troops accelerate their withdrawal from Afghanistan, fighting between the Taliban and Afghan government forces intensifies and the security situation on the ground continues to deteriorate.
