US Embassy staff burn documents as Taliban inches closer to Kabul

With the situation growing "out of control" as a result of Taliban advancement, the US Embassy staff in Kabul were asked to burn sensitive documents. On Friday, Taliban militants, in its 11th annexation, captured Pul-e-Alam in Loghar province just 80km from Kabul. The staff was asked to dispose of classified memos and the US National Flag in the Embassy office in the capital of Afghanistan, the BBC reported.

"Whole thing is about to go bad"

According to CNN, the notice titled "Emergency Destruction Services" approved the disposal papers and electronic information with the use of burn bins, incinerators, and disintegrators. In other words, anything that could be used as propaganda should be blazed, the US State Department ordered. Referring to the Pentagon's 'intelligence assesment' report about the Kabul invasion by Taliban within 90 days, the State Department also feared that "the whole thing is about to go bad," an official said.

Consulate offices shut down in Kabul

Amid the Taliban-induced violence in Afghanistan, Iran has announced a temporary halt of operations at the consulate general's office, which is located in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Afghanistan's Balkh province. The decision comes at the heels of violence escalation fuelled by Talibani insurgents in the fourth-largest city of Afghanistan. Expressing concern about the current situations, the consulate general said that the ongoing fights "might cause insecurity" in Mazar-i-Sharif where the "diplomatic mission" was based, ANI cited Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). He also remained pessimistic about resuming office until the situation stabilized in the war-torn country.

Taliban have occupied 65% of the Afghani territory

As per an EU report, the militant group has conquered approximately 65 per cent of Afghanistan's major cities. Additionally, it has threatened to take over 11 more provincial capitals in the coming days. Earlier this week, in its 10th takeover, the Taliban captured the provincial capital near Afghanistan's capital, Kabul. It also captured Faizabad, the capital of the northeastern province of Badakshan. The militants have also claimed control over Ghazni city, some 130km southwest of Kabul.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in his recently televised interview vowed not to give up the 'achievements' of the last 20 years. During his interview, Ghani mentioned that mobilization of Afghan forces remains the top priority amid the escalating violence. The uprisings have intensified with less than three weeks left for US troops to vacate the war-torn country.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: AP/representative)