Taliban seizes city of Kunduz in significant victory, in 3rd provincial capital captured Sunday

Ivana Saric
·2 min read

The Taliban on Sunday seized control of Kunduz, the first large city to fall since the group began a territorial offensive earlier this summer, reports the New York Times.

Driving the news: Kunduz is one of three northern provincial capitals captured by the the Taliban on Sunday alone. The group also captured the cities of Taliqan, in the province of Takhar, and Sar-i-Pul, of the province with the same name, reports the Times.

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Why it matters: The Taliban's escalating success poses a looming problem for the United States, which is slated to completely withdrawal military forces on Aug. 31. The departure has coincided with large and rapid territorial gains by the Taliban and a sharp increase in violence.

The big picture: The capture of Sar-i-Pul in northern Afghanistan came after several days of heavy fighting, notes the Times.

  • On Friday, the Taliban captured the city of Zaranj, the capital of Nimruz province.

  • On Saturday the Taliban seized Sheberghan, the provincial capital of Jawzjan, near the Turkmenistan border, per CNN.

The fall of Kunuz is significant both because the city is strategically located near the border with Tajikistan and is an important political and military hub, but it was also the site of the Taliban's surrender in 2001, reports the Guardian.

State of play: The U.S. intelligence community has warned that the Afghan government could collapse as soon as next year as the Taliban's battlefield offensive grows.

  • The marked uptick in violence since the United States began its withdrawal has seen thousands of Afghans fleeing to neighboring countries.

  • Afghans who assisted American troops as interpreters, contractors or in other ally roles are being given visas to come to the United States.

Go deeper: Biden defends Afghanistan exit as fears of collapse grow.

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