Taliban militants patrol after taking control of the Governor’s house and Ghazni city, in Afghanistan, 12 August 2021.
Taliban fighters on 12 August captured the strategic Ghazni province that connects the capital Kabul to other southern Afghan regions, officials and the insurgents said.
The region became the 10th province to fall to the insurgents in a week in their major offensive toward Kabul after the United States-led foreign troops withdrew from the war-ravaged country.
The speed of the Taliban advance has sparked widespread recriminations over U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops and leave the Afghan government to fight alone.
The Taliban control about two-thirds of Afghanistan, with the last of the U.S.-led international forces set to leave by the end of the month, and their guerrilla army has waged war on multiple fronts, resulting in thousands of families fleeing the provinces in hope of finding safety in Kabul and other cities.
Via EPA-EFE/NAWID TANHA
