Watch: Afghanistan government destroys Taliban hideouts in Kandahar airstrike

The Afghanistan government on Sunday shared a video showing a Taliban hideout being destroyed in an airstrike which was carried out in Kandahar province’s Zherai district. A video has been released by the Ministry of Defense in Afghanistan on their official Twitter handle, where it claims that tens of terrorists were killed and injured as a result of the airstrike.

Meanwhile, in another post, the Afghanistan government also revealed that over 250 insurgents were killed and over 100 have been injured in several cities in the past 24 hours. Following this, the Afghanistan defense forces have also engaged in a gun battle with the Taliban in Herat province.

#Taliban terrorists hideouts were targeted by #AAF in Zherai district of #Kandahar province yesterday. Tens of #terrorists were killed and wounded as result of the #airstrike. pic.twitter.com/mM1uVyeXMu

— Ministry of Defense, Afghanistan (@MoDAfghanistan) August 1, 2021

254 #Taliban terrorists were killed and 97 wounded as a result of #ANDSF operations in Ghazni, Kandahar, Herat, Farah, Jowzjan, Balkh, Samangan, Helmand, Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Kabul & Kapisa provinces during the last 24 hours.

Also, 13 IEDs were discovered & defused by #ANA. pic.twitter.com/XiEiOAOuph

— Ministry of Defense, Afghanistan (@MoDAfghanistan) August 1, 2021

This airstrike has come to the fore after the Taliban made rapid territorial gains after reports of the US military's final stage of withdrawal from the war made headlines. So far, the Taliban have surrounded themselves in the capitals after capturing large areas or land of rural territory and key border crossings.

As per reports, the Taliban recently fired three rockets at the airport in Kandhar. This was Afghanistan's second-largest city and a former bastion of the insurgents.

Post the attack, concerned authorities were asked to suspend all flights as the runway was partially damaged. The officials also stated that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

With the recent attack on the airport, reports suggest that the Taliban have come closer to capturing at least two other provincial capitals in the country, including nearby Lashkar Gah in Helmand province.

In April this year, United States President Joe Biden announced that the US troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of August. This withdrawal will end a 20-year foreign military presence.

Since the withdrawal was announced, the Taliban have swept across Afghanistan and pushed back the Afghan military.

Currently, there are nearly 650 troops that are set to remain in Afghanistan to secure the US diplomatic presence, including the embassy, and to assist in securing Kabul’s international airport.