The Taliban continue their rapid advance in Afghanistan, taking control of 18 provincial capitals out of 34 in total – including the group’s birthplace Kandahar. The insurgents are now at the doors of the Afghan capital Kabul.
The rapid advance of Taliban forces in different parts of Afghanistan continues. Within just days, the Taliban seized over half of all Afghan provincial capitals. Kandahar and Herat, the two largest cities of Afghanistan after Kabul were captured by the Taliban as well.
The Taliban’s capture of Kandahar alone represents a massive symbolic victory for the insurgents as Kandahar is the birthplace of the movement. Footage from local sources show residents surrounding Taliban fighters and expressing their joy over Taliban control of the city.
In Herat, the insurgents captured at least two helicopters and spare parts left behind by the retreating Afghan army at the Shindand airbase. Other sources claimed that the number of seized helicopters is four, adding that two of these are operational while two of them were in maintenance at the time of the capture.
In Qalat, the capital of the Zabul province, hundreds of Afghani soldiers surrendered to Taliban forces together with armoured vehicles, weapons and ammunition. These soldiers later on joined the ranks of the insurgents, a Taliban spokesman announced over Twitter.
The recent control of the Taliban over several provincial capitals constitutes a massive danger for Kabul. Taliban forces close in on the city from all directions as the Afghan army can’t withstand the strong advance. Realizing the danger, the US now moves quicker to evacuate its citizens, embassy staff and Afghans with special immigrant visas from the country.
Assessing that the capital could fall within 30 to 90 days, the Pentagon announced that three infantry battalions of around 3,000 soldiers will be deployed to Kabul for the mission while another 4,000 soldiers will be sent to the region as support. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby described the deployment as a “temporary mission with a very narrow focus”.
Citing US officials, the New York Times reported that the Biden administration seeks assurances from the Taliban that it won’t attack the US embassy in Kabul in case it attempts to take control of the city.