The Taliban seized, Saturday, August 7, the city of Sheberghan (North), the second provincial capital to fall into the hands of the insurgents in less than 24 hours and since the beginning of the final withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in May.
"Unfortunately the Taliban have seized the city of Sheberghan," Qader Malia, vice-governor of Jawzjan province, of which Sheberghan is the capital, told AFP, adding that "(Afghan) forces and officials have fled to the airport ".
Jawzjan province is the stronghold of Marshal Dostom, a powerful leader of the Uzbek militia, renowned for his shifting loyalty and barbarism.
If its stronghold of Sheberghan were to remain in Taliban hands, it would be yet another setback for the government, which recently called on former warlords and various militias to try to stem the advance of the insurgents.
The Taliban took control on Friday of a first provincial capital, Zaranj (southwest), without real resistance from the Afghan forces, already busy defending several other provincial capitals across the country.
An adviser to Marshal Dostom confirmed Sheberghan's downfall.
"Security forces and officials withdrew to an area about 20 km from the city. They had already prepared, including transferring enough ammunition there to defend against a Taliban attack," he said. he clarified.
The Taliban have seized vast rural areas in the past three months, and are now directing their offensives on major cities, encircling several provincial capitals, including Kandahar and Herat, the second and third most populous cities in the country.
With AFP
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