Taliban take control of most of provincial capital in Afghanistan

Mike Brest
·2 min read

The Taliban captured much of the Helmand provincial capital in Afghanistan as they continue to push forward with their advances amid the U.S. withdrawal.

Majid Akhund, deputy chairman of the Helmand provincial council, confirmed that the Taliban had gained control on Tuesday of nine of the 10 Lashkar Gah districts, according to the Associated Press. They also took control of the city's television and radio stations, which have gone offline.

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Gen. Sami Sadat, Afghan forces commander for Helmand, urged residents who live in the areas that have been captured by the Taliban to evacuate immediately.

“Please evacuate your families from your homes and their surroundings,” Sadat said. “We will not leave the Taliban alive. ... I know it’s hard. ... We do it for your future. Forgive us if you get displaced for few days, please evacuate as soon as possible.”

Gaining control of Lashkar Gah would be a major victory for the Taliban, in part because it would mark the first time they had control over a provincial capital. The group has already captured several border crossing areas with Iran, Pakistan, and Tajikistan.

The United States will have all of its troops out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31, a date moved up from the previously scheduled Sept. 11, and 95% of personnel have already been pulled out. The Taliban have capitalized on the departure of U.S. troops, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction's latest report, which detailed how attacks are increasing while Afghan personnel and infrastructure are struggling.

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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani blamed the U.S. and NATO's exit for the deteriorating security situation.

Over the weekend, the Taliban used rocket fire to attack the Kandahar airport in the southern part of Afghanistan, and a Taliban spokesperson said the target was strategically chosen because “the enemy were using it as a center to conduct airstrikes against us.”

The U.S. recently announced an expansion of its refugee program for Afghans who worked with the U.S. military or contractors.

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Tags: News, Taliban, War in Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Defense, National Security, Foreign Policy

Original Author: Mike Brest

Original Location: Taliban take control of most of provincial capital in Afghanistan

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