Afghanistan's Ghazni province falls to Taliban; battle ongoing in Herat & Lashkar Gah

In the ongoing Afghanistan-Taliban clash, the militants have now taken the Ghazni province from Governor Daoud Laghmani and the national police. The bodyguards of the Governor were reportedly disarmed and escorted to Kabul based on the agreement between the two sides.

As per reports, Dawood Laghmani, Ghazni Governor, has betrayed the government as he has surrendered the local government to the Taliban. The fighters have entered all government facilities though there is no official confirmation from the Afghan government concerning the collapse of Ghazni province. 

Meanwhile, four government officials along with the Governor of Farah province also surrendered to the Taliban and the latter claimed to have taken the national police to headquarters in the province.

Fierce fighting was witnessed in regions of Kandahar on Wednesday, August 10. After the Taliban seized their first provincial capital Zaranj in Nimroz and Sheberghan in Jawzjan, heavy fighting is now underway in Herat and Lashkar Gah too. 

The militant troops are moving towards Kandahar to capture the region like they seized Zaranj. Further, the Taliban have taken responsibility for attaching a sticky bomb to an Afghan Air Force pilot's vehicle who was killed in Kabul.

Taliban acquires parts of Afghanistan

For the past two months, the Taliban have progressed rapidly in capturing regions of rural Afghanistan after President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. 

On August 7, the Taliban shut down a key border in Spin Boldak crossing along the Afghanistan-Pakistan area, leaving several hundred travelers stranded. In early July, Spin Boldak was taken over by the militant group. In addition, several militants were freed after capturing the Zaranj area. 

Violence in Afghanistan continues

Due to the Taliban's intensified offensive against civilians of Afghanistan, the country is witnessing a surge in violence and thousands of families have been displaced amid the US troop drawdown.

According to US intelligence assessments,  Afghanistan's civilian government may fall to the terror group within months after the American military withdrawal as the Taliban have already taken control of several districts. Also, Afghan officials have accused Pakistan of extending support to Taliban terrorists and providing safe haven to them.

Image: AP