The advance of the Taliban in Afghanistan: the extremist group seizes two other provincial capitals

The Taliban continue their offensive against the provincial capitals of Afghanistan with two operations against the towns of Kunduz and Sar-e-Pol, in the north of the country, in the middle of open fighting in 18 provinces in the past few hours.

The clashes in Kunduz reached the center of the city, capital of the province of the same name, according to sources of Tolo News, which confirm that some key buildings are currently in the hands of the insurgents. “After fierce fighting, the Mujahedin, by the grace of God, took the capital of Kunduz province today,” the Taliban said in a statement.

“The whole town of Kunduz fell to the Taliban and only the provincial airport is under the control of the security forces.», Confirmed the deputy Nelofar Koofi, who represents the province of Kunduz in the lower house of the national parliament.

A similar situation occurs in Sar-e-Pol, capital of the province of the same name, where the Taliban captured much of the city and now local forces and officials have moved to a military base about three kilometers from the site. The insurgents have already taken the governor’s office, the police headquarters, as well as the building of the National Security Directorate.

Aziza Jalis, deputy for Sar-e-Pol, explained that “the Taliban have captured the whole city” and that now the security forces and provincial officials are “on a military base in a corner” of the capital. As Mohamad Hussein Mujahidzada, member of the provincial council, added, “the taliban they surrounded an army battalion on the outskirts of town “and” all other parts of town are under Taliban control.

Let us recall that during the last 48 hours the Taliban conquered two provincial capitals: Zaranj, capital of Nimroz, on the border with Iran; and Sheberghan, capital of the province of Jauzján.

The Taliban had already taken Kunduz, of great strategic value by connecting several provinces and borders of Tajikistan, in September 2015, managing to stay there for two days, an unprecedented feat since the fall of their regime with the American invasion in 2001. .

The main spokesperson of the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement celebrated the capture of Kunduz and Sar-e-Pol, and also assured that after taking control of these two cities, they also confiscated a large number. weapons.

Many Afghans fear the specter of a return to power by the Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001 by imposing a harsh Islamic regime, before being ousted by an international coalition led by the United States. Foreign troops have been in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, following the Washington-led invasion following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Shortly before starting to seize provincial capitals this week, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the assassination of the Afghan government’s communications chief, warning they would carry out operations against senior officials in response to increased bombing. .

AMERICAN BOMBS

The Afghan Ministry of Defense confirmed that the latter city had been the scene of air strikes by US B-52 bombers against Taliban positions, as they had anticipated hours before Defense sources in the British meant “Daily Mail”.

These support operations would be the first large-scale movements ordered by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, after commanding the final phase of the withdrawal of North American troops from the country, a moment used by the Taliban to launch their great offensive against hundreds of districts and the aforementioned provincial capitals.

This new achievement by the Taliban comes after the capture on Saturday of Sheberghan, capital of the northwestern province of Jawzjan, bordering Turkmenistan, after a day before they took control of Zaranj, capital of southwestern Nimroz, which borders Iran.

The four provincial capitals are the first to fall into the hands of the Taliban since the start of their major offensive, which coincided with the start, on May 1, of the final phase of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. It is also the Taliban’s greatest achievement in the country in two decades of conflict.

The the fights become more and more bloody, and according to the Afghan Ministry of Defense 572 insurgents have died in recent hours in battles against security forces recorded in 18 provinces of the country.

Clashes which, on the other hand, and as one might expect, cause enormous damage to the civilian population. For the moment, and while waiting for more data in the rest of the places, The Kunduz Public Health Authority confirmed that 11 civilians were killed and 39 others injured in a new wave of clashes in the city that began on Friday evening.

(with EFE, AFP and EP information)

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