In the past few weeks, more than 15 cities in Afghanistan have fallen at the hands of the Taliban, and the government has told the reason is to prevent civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the Taliban have suffered heavy casualties in capturing these cities.
The cities of “Ashkamesh” in Takhar province and “Suzmeh Qala” in Sarpol province are two cities that were captured by the Taliban yesterday and hundreds of families have been displaced.
Earlier, the group included Arghanjkhah in Badakhshan, Chah-e-Ab in Takhar, Jaghto, Rashidan, and Deh-e-Ghaz in Ghazni, Shahrak, and Dolat-e-Shah in Ghor, Gizab. In Uruzgan, “Dolatabad” and “Qaisar” in Faryab, “Doab” city in Nuristan and “Dolat Shah” in “Laghman” province, “Burkeh” in Baghlan province and “Jalriz” city in Maidan Wardak and “Jund” in Badghis Took control.
Although there are fears that the cities may fall during the deal and be handed over by some individuals in the security forces or a long siege, the Taliban have suffered heavy casualties in the past week alone.
The Kabul Morning Post quoted security sources as saying that the Taliban had lost 1,043 people in fighting with government forces last week and that more than 500 others had been wounded.
The source added that 212 government forces and 52 civilians were killed and several others wounded in Taliban attacks during this period.
Local sources said many of these cities had fallen to the Taliban after government forces were besieged in those days without ammunition, water or food, and were not helped and forced to flee their areas.
Reports now indicate that fighting in the northern Afghan province of Badghis has reached the outskirts of Qala-e-Naw, the provincial capital, and local officials have warned against promoting social media in favor of the Taliban and weakening government forces.
The governor of Badghis, Hessamuddin Shams, told local media on Friday that he had instructed the security and defense forces to send people who, in the name of tribalism, or under any other name, to government bases as mediators and pavers for Fall or surrender to arrest.
He added that he had also told the security forces to arrest those who were trying to weaken the security and defense forces.
Local Afghan sources say the governor’s actions began after two police and army checkpoints in the Laman area near the town of Qala-e-Naw fell to the Taliban without a fight.
