FOOLS_NIGHTMARE
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Taliban Knocking at the Gates of Kabul
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FOOLS_NIGHTMARE
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Trango Towers
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I hope theyr are merciful to the prisoners
From 30 to 90 days yesterday to 72 hrs today..
Cia you have no idea....God always wins
May Allah guide the taliban to mercy and justice. I hope they don't go back to stupidity after this victory
SecularNationalist
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Well you are proven wrong .
I hope you bought blue label bottle in advance
if you remember that conversation 
That would be a dream come true .
But I think he will be evacuated by the Americans most probably.
ghazi52
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Taliban capture major northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, draw closer to Kabul
Afghan security forces in the major city are escaping towards the border, says provincial council
Reuters
August 14, 2021
A Taliban fighter holds a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) along the roadside in Herat, Afghanistan's third biggest city, after government forces pulled out following weeks of being under siege. Photo: AFP
KABUL: Taliban forces captured a major city in northern Afghanistan on Saturday, sending Afghan forces fleeing, and drew closer to Kabul, where Western countries scrambled to evacuate their citizens from the capital.
The fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, confirmed by a provincial council official, was another major capture for the hardline militants, who have swept through the country in recent weeks as US-led forces withdrew.
The United States and Britain are now rushing several thousand troops back into the country to evacuate citizens amid concern Kabul could soon be overrun.
Security forces from Mazar-i-Sharif were escaping towards the border, Afzal Hadid, head of the Balkh provincial council, told Reuters.
"The Taliban have taken control of Mazar-I-Sharif," he said. "All security forces have left Mazar city." The city appeared to have fallen largely without a fight, although sporadic clashes were continuing nearby, he said.
Earlier in the day, the rebels seized a town south of Kabul that is one of the gateways to the capital.
Many Afghans have fled from the provinces to the capital, driven out by fighting and fearful of a return to Taliban’s rule, as resistance from Afghan government forces crumbles.
As night fell on Saturday, hundreds of people were huddled in tents or in the open in the city, by roadsides or in carparks, a resident said. "You can see the fear in their faces," he said.
President Ashraf Ghani held urgent talks with local leaders and international partners but gave no sign of responding to a Taliban demand that he resign as a condition for any ceasefire.
His focus was "on preventing further instability, violence, and displacement of my people", he said in a brief televised address, adding that security and defence forces were being consolidated.
Qatar, which has been hosting so-far inconclusive peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, said it had urged the insurgents to cease fire during a meeting with their representatives on Saturday.
Earlier the Taliban, facing little resistance, took Pul-e-Alam, capital of Logar province and 70 km (40 miles) south of Kabul, according to a local provincial council member, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Police officials however denied reports that the Taliban had advanced closer to Kabul from Pul-e-Alam, which is a staging post for a potential assault on the capital.
The town's capture came a day after the insurgents took the country's second- and third-biggest cities.
The Taliban says it is close to capturing Maidan Shahr, another town close to Kabul.
An Afghan government official confirmed on Friday that Kandahar, the biggest city in the south and the heartland of the Taliban, was under the militants' control as US-led forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war.
Herat in the west, near the border with Iran, also fell to the group. The Taliban said on Saturday it had overrun the capitals of Kunar, Paktika and Paktia provinces on Afghanistan's eastern border, although this could not be immediately confirmed.
Embassy evacuations
American troops have begun flying in to Kabul to help in the evacuation of embassy personnel and other civilians, a US official said on condition of anonymity.
The Pentagon has said two battalions of Marines and an infantry battalion will arrive in Kabul by Sunday evening, involving about 3,000 troops. An infantry brigade combat team will move to Kuwait to act as a quick reaction force for security in Kabul if needed.
The Czech Republic said it was evacuating its two diplomats on Saturday and Germany said it would deploy troops to get its diplomats out as soon as possible.
Some embassies have begun to burn sensitive material ahead of evacuating, diplomats said. Residents said many people in the capital were stocking up on rice, other food and first aid.
Visa applications at embassies were running in the tens of thousands, officials said, and Washington was asking countries to temporarily house Afghans who worked for the US government.
Afghan security forces in the major city are escaping towards the border, says provincial council
Reuters
August 14, 2021
A Taliban fighter holds a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) along the roadside in Herat, Afghanistan's third biggest city, after government forces pulled out following weeks of being under siege. Photo: AFP
KABUL: Taliban forces captured a major city in northern Afghanistan on Saturday, sending Afghan forces fleeing, and drew closer to Kabul, where Western countries scrambled to evacuate their citizens from the capital.
The fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, confirmed by a provincial council official, was another major capture for the hardline militants, who have swept through the country in recent weeks as US-led forces withdrew.
The United States and Britain are now rushing several thousand troops back into the country to evacuate citizens amid concern Kabul could soon be overrun.
Security forces from Mazar-i-Sharif were escaping towards the border, Afzal Hadid, head of the Balkh provincial council, told Reuters.
"The Taliban have taken control of Mazar-I-Sharif," he said. "All security forces have left Mazar city." The city appeared to have fallen largely without a fight, although sporadic clashes were continuing nearby, he said.
Earlier in the day, the rebels seized a town south of Kabul that is one of the gateways to the capital.
Many Afghans have fled from the provinces to the capital, driven out by fighting and fearful of a return to Taliban’s rule, as resistance from Afghan government forces crumbles.
As night fell on Saturday, hundreds of people were huddled in tents or in the open in the city, by roadsides or in carparks, a resident said. "You can see the fear in their faces," he said.
President Ashraf Ghani held urgent talks with local leaders and international partners but gave no sign of responding to a Taliban demand that he resign as a condition for any ceasefire.
His focus was "on preventing further instability, violence, and displacement of my people", he said in a brief televised address, adding that security and defence forces were being consolidated.
Qatar, which has been hosting so-far inconclusive peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, said it had urged the insurgents to cease fire during a meeting with their representatives on Saturday.
Earlier the Taliban, facing little resistance, took Pul-e-Alam, capital of Logar province and 70 km (40 miles) south of Kabul, according to a local provincial council member, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Police officials however denied reports that the Taliban had advanced closer to Kabul from Pul-e-Alam, which is a staging post for a potential assault on the capital.
The town's capture came a day after the insurgents took the country's second- and third-biggest cities.
The Taliban says it is close to capturing Maidan Shahr, another town close to Kabul.
An Afghan government official confirmed on Friday that Kandahar, the biggest city in the south and the heartland of the Taliban, was under the militants' control as US-led forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war.
Herat in the west, near the border with Iran, also fell to the group. The Taliban said on Saturday it had overrun the capitals of Kunar, Paktika and Paktia provinces on Afghanistan's eastern border, although this could not be immediately confirmed.
Embassy evacuations
American troops have begun flying in to Kabul to help in the evacuation of embassy personnel and other civilians, a US official said on condition of anonymity.
The Pentagon has said two battalions of Marines and an infantry battalion will arrive in Kabul by Sunday evening, involving about 3,000 troops. An infantry brigade combat team will move to Kuwait to act as a quick reaction force for security in Kabul if needed.
The Czech Republic said it was evacuating its two diplomats on Saturday and Germany said it would deploy troops to get its diplomats out as soon as possible.
Some embassies have begun to burn sensitive material ahead of evacuating, diplomats said. Residents said many people in the capital were stocking up on rice, other food and first aid.
Visa applications at embassies were running in the tens of thousands, officials said, and Washington was asking countries to temporarily house Afghans who worked for the US government.
Well you are proven wrong .
I hope you bought blue label bottle in advance
That would be a dream come true .
But I think he will be evacuated by the Americans most probably.
If the Americans evacuate him, they'll do so using Pakistani Airspace which is a shame considering the BS he's been spouting against Pakistan. I would love for him to be captured and left to the hands of the Taliban.
ghazi52
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BBC News
Here’s what’s happened today:
Here’s what’s happened today:
- The Taliban now control most of northern Afghanistan and half of its regional capitals
- On Saturday, the militant group took two more provincial capitals – Sharan and Asadabad.
- Foreign troops have started to arrive in Afghanistan to help evacuate embassies
- In a televised address, President Ashraf Ghani said his focus was on “preventing further instability, violence and displacement of my people”. He praised security forces who have been trying to defend cities from the Taliban
- Qatar’s Foreign Minister met the head of the Taliban’s delegation on Saturday to follow up on peace talks. He urged the group to agree to a ceasefire.
ghazi52
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What to watch for as the Taliban inch closer to Kabul
Reuters
14 Aug 2021
The insurgent Taliban have captured Afghanistan's second- and third-largest cities, and a town just south of Kabul, and now have their sights set on the capital.
Here are some facts about the city and previous assaults:
Current situation
US officials have said the insurgents could make a move within days on the city, whose population of 5 million people has been swollen with thousands fleeing other parts of the country. Thousands of troops from the United States and Britain are flying in to secure the airport and their embassies as foreign missions start evacuating personnel.
The Afghan army has vowed to defend the capital.
Kabul covers an area of about 1,000 square km (400 sq miles) and is ringed by mountains. There are four main roads into the city: from Maidan Shahr in the southwest, Pul-e-Alam in the south, Surobi in the east and Bagram in the north.
The Taliban took Pul-e-Alam on Saturday without much resistance, a local provincial council member said.
The Taliban say they are close to capturing Maidan Shahr.
They have already taken Ghazni, down the road from Maidan Shahr, and have a strong presence in surrounding areas. They are comparatively less strong in the east and north, although the situation could change rapidly.
Past assaults on Kabul
In 1996, the Taliban conquered Kabul from the militant alliance with an assault through Surobi in the east. At the time the Taliban had taken Jalalabad. After winning a battle at Surobi, the Taliban marched unchecked into Kabul. For now, Jalalabad is still with Afghan government forces.
In 2001, US-backed forces re-took Kabul with an attack from the north, entering the city via Bagram after a barrage of air strikes killed hundreds of entrenched Taliban fighters who had formed a defensive ring.
Bagram airbase, 64 km (40 miles) north of Kabul, is the country's most significant military asset and was the seat of the US military during the 20-year-long Afghan war before they vacated it just a month ago. The base is now in the hands of the Afghan military.
Power and talks
The Taliban have no air power and have used artillery and rockets followed by ground assaults while capturing other cities and provincial capitals in recent weeks.
A bloody battle for Kabul could be avoided if a political solution is struck between the government and the Taliban.
The insurgents have insisted they will not negotiate with a government headed by President Ashraf Ghani
Ghani has shown no inclination to move. On Saturday, he said he was in urgent talks with local leaders and international partners and that "re-integration of the security and defence forces is our priority".
- US officials have said the insurgents could make a move within days on the city, whose population of 5 million people has been swollen with thousands fleeing other parts of the country
Reuters
14 Aug 2021
The insurgent Taliban have captured Afghanistan's second- and third-largest cities, and a town just south of Kabul, and now have their sights set on the capital.
Here are some facts about the city and previous assaults:
Current situation
US officials have said the insurgents could make a move within days on the city, whose population of 5 million people has been swollen with thousands fleeing other parts of the country. Thousands of troops from the United States and Britain are flying in to secure the airport and their embassies as foreign missions start evacuating personnel.
The Afghan army has vowed to defend the capital.
Kabul covers an area of about 1,000 square km (400 sq miles) and is ringed by mountains. There are four main roads into the city: from Maidan Shahr in the southwest, Pul-e-Alam in the south, Surobi in the east and Bagram in the north.
The Taliban took Pul-e-Alam on Saturday without much resistance, a local provincial council member said.
The Taliban say they are close to capturing Maidan Shahr.
They have already taken Ghazni, down the road from Maidan Shahr, and have a strong presence in surrounding areas. They are comparatively less strong in the east and north, although the situation could change rapidly.
Past assaults on Kabul
In 1996, the Taliban conquered Kabul from the militant alliance with an assault through Surobi in the east. At the time the Taliban had taken Jalalabad. After winning a battle at Surobi, the Taliban marched unchecked into Kabul. For now, Jalalabad is still with Afghan government forces.
In 2001, US-backed forces re-took Kabul with an attack from the north, entering the city via Bagram after a barrage of air strikes killed hundreds of entrenched Taliban fighters who had formed a defensive ring.
Bagram airbase, 64 km (40 miles) north of Kabul, is the country's most significant military asset and was the seat of the US military during the 20-year-long Afghan war before they vacated it just a month ago. The base is now in the hands of the Afghan military.
Power and talks
The Taliban have no air power and have used artillery and rockets followed by ground assaults while capturing other cities and provincial capitals in recent weeks.
A bloody battle for Kabul could be avoided if a political solution is struck between the government and the Taliban.
The insurgents have insisted they will not negotiate with a government headed by President Ashraf Ghani
Ghani has shown no inclination to move. On Saturday, he said he was in urgent talks with local leaders and international partners and that "re-integration of the security and defence forces is our priority".
ghazi52
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Following is a list of provincial capitals that have fallen to, or are being contested by the militants. Afghanistan has 34 provinces.
Provincial capitals falling to the Taliban:
Aug. 6 - ZARANJ. The Taliban take over the city in Nimroz province in the south, the first provincial capital to fall to the insurgents since they stepped up attacks on Afghan forces in early May.
Aug. 7 - SHEBERGHAN. The Taliban declare they have captured the entire northern province of Jawzjan, including its capital Sheberghan. Heavy fighting is reported in the city, and government buildings are taken over by the insurgents. Afghan security forces say they are still fighting there.
Aug. 8 - SAR-E-PUL. The insurgents take control of Sar-e-Pul, capital of the northern province of the same name. It is the first of three provincial centres to fall on the same day.
Aug. 8 - KUNDUZ. Taliban fighters seize control of the northern city of 270,000 people, regarded as a strategic prize as it lies at the gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia. Government forces say they are resisting the insurgents from an army base and the airport.
Aug. 8 - TALOQAN. The capital of Takhar province, also in the north, falls to the Taliban in the evening. They free prisoners and force government officials to flee.
Aug. 9 - AYBAK. The capital of the northern province of Samangan is overrun by Taliban fighters.
Aug. 10 - PUL-E-KHUMRI. The capital of the central province of Baghlan falls to the Taliban, according to residents.
Aug. 11 - FAIZABAD. The capital of the northeastern province of Badakhshan is under Taliban control, a provincial council member says.
Aug. 12 - GHAZNI. The insurgents take over the city, capital of the province of the same name, a senior security officer says.
Aug 12 - FIRUS KOH. The capital of Ghor province, was handed over to the Taliban on Thursday night without a fight, security officials said.
AUG 13 - QALA-E-NAW. The Taliban have captured the capital of the northwestern province of Badghis, a security official and the Taliban said.
Aug 13 - KANDAHAR. The Taliban have captured Afghanistan's second biggest city of Kandahar, government officials and the Taliban said.
Aug 13 - LASHKAR GAH. The Taliban have captured the capital of the southern province of Helmand, police said.
Aug 13 - HERAT. Capital of Herat province in the west was under Taliban control after days of clashes, a provincial council member said.
Aug 14 - PUL-E-ALAM. The capital of Logar province fell to the Taliban without much resistance, a local provincial council member said.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS BEING CONTESTED AS OF AUG. 14:
FARAH. Capital of the western province of Farah.
Provincial capitals falling to the Taliban:
Aug. 6 - ZARANJ. The Taliban take over the city in Nimroz province in the south, the first provincial capital to fall to the insurgents since they stepped up attacks on Afghan forces in early May.
Aug. 7 - SHEBERGHAN. The Taliban declare they have captured the entire northern province of Jawzjan, including its capital Sheberghan. Heavy fighting is reported in the city, and government buildings are taken over by the insurgents. Afghan security forces say they are still fighting there.
Aug. 8 - SAR-E-PUL. The insurgents take control of Sar-e-Pul, capital of the northern province of the same name. It is the first of three provincial centres to fall on the same day.
Aug. 8 - KUNDUZ. Taliban fighters seize control of the northern city of 270,000 people, regarded as a strategic prize as it lies at the gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia. Government forces say they are resisting the insurgents from an army base and the airport.
Aug. 8 - TALOQAN. The capital of Takhar province, also in the north, falls to the Taliban in the evening. They free prisoners and force government officials to flee.
Aug. 9 - AYBAK. The capital of the northern province of Samangan is overrun by Taliban fighters.
Aug. 10 - PUL-E-KHUMRI. The capital of the central province of Baghlan falls to the Taliban, according to residents.
Aug. 11 - FAIZABAD. The capital of the northeastern province of Badakhshan is under Taliban control, a provincial council member says.
Aug. 12 - GHAZNI. The insurgents take over the city, capital of the province of the same name, a senior security officer says.
Aug 12 - FIRUS KOH. The capital of Ghor province, was handed over to the Taliban on Thursday night without a fight, security officials said.
AUG 13 - QALA-E-NAW. The Taliban have captured the capital of the northwestern province of Badghis, a security official and the Taliban said.
Aug 13 - KANDAHAR. The Taliban have captured Afghanistan's second biggest city of Kandahar, government officials and the Taliban said.
Aug 13 - LASHKAR GAH. The Taliban have captured the capital of the southern province of Helmand, police said.
Aug 13 - HERAT. Capital of Herat province in the west was under Taliban control after days of clashes, a provincial council member said.
Aug 14 - PUL-E-ALAM. The capital of Logar province fell to the Taliban without much resistance, a local provincial council member said.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS BEING CONTESTED AS OF AUG. 14:
FARAH. Capital of the western province of Farah.
ARMalik
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Well they should be thanking the Pakistan Military planners for the so called "Taliban Blitzkrieg".
khansaheeb
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Taliban rapidly advancing towards Kabul:-
Taliban forces advancing toward Kabul
Taliban forces are swiftly capturing major cities in Afghanistan and are now approaching the outskirts of the nation's capital, Kabul. While international efforts are underway to evacuate citizens, many Afghans are expressing disappointment in the U.S.'s withdrawal and anger over the lack of...
www.cbsnews.com
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