The Taliban movement continued its field advance in northern Afghanistan, as it took control of the third provincial capital in 24 hours, at a time when the government forces announced the launch of a military operation to regain the city of Kunduz.

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Afghanistan quoted a security source as saying that Taliban militants have taken control of the headquarters of Takhar province in the north of the country, and that the state airport and the headquarters of Afghan forces are still under the control of the government.

The reporter also quoted a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Interior, Mirwais Stanekzai, as saying that the government forces launched a military operation in the northern city of Kunduz.

The spokesman pointed out that the Taliban militants have incurred heavy losses in life and property, and control of many areas of the province has been restored.

He explained that the military operations will expand against Taliban militants in the states of Jowzjan and Sarbul in the north of the country.

He stressed that the Afghan forces have great air support in order to combat terrorism, he said.

The New York Times quoted the deputy police chief of the Afghan city of Kunduz that the situation was critical and that all security forces fled to the airport.

پا Kandz as d brutal or slandered dښ of Janji Janayt, chې d money exchanger پ Rahman Rahman .

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— Zabihullah (..Zabihullah m) (@Zabehulah_M33) August 8, 2021

Taliban confirm

The Taliban movement has announced its control of the capitals of the provinces of Kunduz and Sarbul, in northern Afghanistan.

"After fierce fighting, the Mujahideen, by the grace of God, took control of the (provincial) capital of Kunduz," the movement confirmed in a statement.

"The mujahideen also took control of the city of Sarbul, including government buildings and all facilities in them," she added.

Later on Sunday, the movement confirmed on Twitter that it had taken control of Taleqan, the capital of Takhar province.

Videos of the battles spread over the weekend, including scenes of the release of many prisoners in the captured cities.

The Taliban usually target prisons to release their captured militants and thus strengthen their ranks.

On Friday, the movement took control of the first provincial capital in Afghanistan, Zaranj in Nimroz, on the border with Iran, and captured the next day, Sheberghan in the northern state of Jowzjan.


US air strikes

According to press reports, battles took place on the outskirts of Herat (west), Lashkar Gah and Kandahar (south).

Government forces received support late Saturday after US B-52 fighters bombed Taliban positions in Sheberghan.

Commenting on the accelerating field progress of the Taliban, the US Embassy in Kabul said that the Taliban's continued attacks will not bring it closer to the legitimacy it desires.

The embassy called on the Taliban movement to immediately abide by the ceasefire and devote its energy to the peace process and not to military attacks.