The advance of the Taliban continues to accelerate and this Sunday seems even more hopeless. In fact, they have taken the city of Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan, residents told us. This leaves only Kabul, the capital, as a large city still controlled by the government.
“We woke up this morning to the white flags of the Taliban all over the city. They are in the city. They entered without a fight, ”said Ahmad Wali, a Jalalabad resident. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for capturing the city. “A few moments ago, the Mujahideen entered Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province. All areas are now under his control, ”said Zabihullah Mujahid, one of his spokesmen.
Besides Kabul, a handful of smaller cities are still under government control. But they are scattered and isolated from the capital, and no longer have great strategic value. In just ten days, the Taliban took control of most of the country and reached the gates of Kabul, which they have now completely surrounded.
On Saturday night, the Taliban captured Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan’s fourth-largest city and the main urban center in the north of the country. Since launching their offensive in May with the beginning of the final withdrawal of US and foreign troops, which is due to be completed by August 31, they had first seized large rural areas without meeting much resistance. Then their advance has accelerated dramatically in recent days, with many cities falling into their hands almost as easily.