• Afghanistan: after Ghazni the Taliban also conquer Herat, the former base of the Italian forces

  • Afghanistan.

    After Herat and Kandahar the Taliban also conquer Lashkar Gah

  • Afghanistan, hundreds of soldiers surrendered in Kunduz.

    US predict Kabul fall within 90 days

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August 14, 2021 The Afghan Taliban in the last few hours have strengthened their territorial grip around Kabul. Refugees from the relentless insurgent offensive flooded the capital and US Marines returned to oversee emergency evacuations.




US embassy personnel destroy documents

The US embassy in Kabul called on its staff to destroy sensitive documents and materials "which could be used as propaganda tools". This was revealed by CNN, explaining that it was able to examine the original document. Last Thursday the Biden administration announced that it will withdraw American personnel from the Kabul embassy, ​​leaving only "a minimal diplomatic presence", and in view of the evacuation, "the embassy has guaranteed daily support for the destruction of sensitive material. both in paper and electronic format ", and of the" objects with logos of embassies or agencies, and US flags ", remembering that these materials can be burned in the bins, or destroyed with an incinerator or a compactor. L'The US administration is also considering moving the embassy to Kabul airport. A US diplomatic source - CNN explained - told us that the intelligence services have indicated that Kabul could be isolated from the Taliban within the week, perhaps within the next 72 hours, specifying that this does not mean that they will enter the Afghan capital.



The Taliban a few kilometers from Kabul

The advance towards Kabul of the Taliban, who took control of Lashkar Gah and three other provincial capitals after they conquered Kandahar and Herat, the second and third cities of Afghanistan, on Thursday seems unstoppable. Only a few weeks to August 31st in which the US will formally put an end to two decades of war and presence in the country, which seems to rapidly precipitate into the instability and violence already known in the years of Taliban power.



Meanwhile, many countries are rushing to repatriate their citizens and close embassies. The extremists have now taken half of the 34 provincial capitals and over two thirds of the national territory. The Kabul government still controls provinces in the center and east as well as northern Mazar-i-Sharif. The closest fighting to the capital is now in Logar province, some 80 kilometers away. "Kabul is not, right now, in an imminent threat situation," the Taliban "are trying to isolate Kabul," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, admitting that "we are certainly concerned about the speed with which the Taliban they are moving ". The US estimated days ago that the rest of the country could fall within a few months.



Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced "a general amnesty" for those who have collaborated "with the occupiers or are part of the administration of Kabul", promising that diplomats and staff of foreign offices will not run any risks. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have fled their cities, fearing that the return of the Taliban will plunge the country back into the brutal and repressive regime experienced in the 1990s. All rights of women had been canceled and executions were carried out in public, in a ruthless version of Islamic law.





Signs of a return to these practices have already been glimpsed, such as the closure of many schools for girls and the parade of two alleged thieves in Herat. The UN has had 250,000 displaced persons since the end of May, 80% of whom are women and children. According to Save the Children, at least 72,000 fleeing children survive on the streets of Kabul, without shelter, food and support. Meanwhile, peace talks in Qatar between Kabul and the Taliban remain at a standstill, although the meetings continue. For this, the Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres has launched an appeal. "I ask the Taliban to stop the offensive immediately, to negotiate in good faith in the interest of Afghanistan and its people." "Only a negotiated political solution led by Afghanistan - remarked Guterres - can guarantee peace



NATO: no Taliban recognition if in power by force

NATO has called an emergency meeting. "The Taliban must understand that they will not be recognized by the international community if they take the country by force. We remain committed to supporting a political solution to the conflict." This was reiterated by the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, after a meeting of the North Atlantic Council.



"Concerned about high-level violence, we maintain a diplomatic presence"

"NATO allies are deeply concerned about the high levels of violence caused by the Taliban offensive, including civilian attacks, targeted killings and reports of other serious human rights abuses." This was stated by the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, after the meeting of the North Atlantic Council, during which it was reaffirmed that "the safety of our personnel is fundamental: NATO will maintain its diplomatic presence in Kabul and will continue to adapt it if necessary".




Taliban leader: protecting airports and those who surrendered

In an audio message broadcast on social media by the Taliban, the military leader of the insurgents, Mullah Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, asked fighters to "protect airports, airplanes, pilots and officials", respect "those who have surrendered ", especially the" elderly "leaders and" making the life of ordinary people easy ".



"Amnesty for those who collaborated with the government of Kabul and the West"

The Taliban have announced that they will grant amnesty to those who have collaborated in the past 20 years with the authorities in Kabul or with US-led international forces. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter in a note on the latest developments in the country. On the advance of the Taliban, Mujahid described it as a demonstration of the '' popularity '' that the insurgents enjoy among the Afghan population. The conquest of 18 provincial capitals in one week, he noted, "is not possible with the use of force".



Addressing those who have collaborated with Kabul and the West, Mujahid said that "the arms of the Islamic Emirate are open to them". Meanwhile, the United States and other European countries are speeding up procedures to evacuate the Afghans who have collaborated with them over the years and their families. 



The offensive of the fundamentalist militiamen

In yesterday's advance, the Taliban took the second and third largest cities in Afghanistan,

Kandahar

and

Herat

, where the Italian soldiers were deployed until a few weeks ago. Thus, 15 capitals of the 34 Afghan provinces have fallen into the hands of the Taliban in one week. 



Herat, the third largest city in Afghanistan, was largely conquered by the Taliban insurgents: in the hands of government forces only the airport and a military base, according to a provincial executive, Ghulam Habib Hashimo, confirmed to Reuters.



The capture of Kandahar, a city of 651,000 inhabitants, is strategically and symbolically important, having been the stronghold of the Taliban. All Afghan government forces have fled the city and took refuge in the barracks of the 205th battalion, deputies Gul Ahmad Kamin and Arif Noorzai told the dpa. The retreat came after tough fighting with Taliban forces around and in the city over the past 3 weeks. 




US and GB send soldiers to Kabul

The United States and Great Britain have announced the dispatch of thousands of soldiers to Kabul to evacuate diplomats and civilians. "The situation is such that the President (Biden) puts the safety of Americans abroad first," said State Department spokesman Ned Price, who called the embassy staff reduction a "precautionary measure. ". "It is not a total evacuation, the embassy remains open", he specified. 



In particular, the United States will send 3,000 troops to the Kabul airport, John Kirby explained in a press briefing, who insisted that this increase in the US military presence in Washington's intentions should not interfere with the final withdrawal of the troops. Americans from the Asian country, scheduled for August 31st. To these 3000 soldiers will be added about a thousand men who will be deployed in Qatar with logistical support functions, and about another 3,500-4,000, a "combat brigade", will be stationed in Kuwait, ready to intervene if the situation deteriorates further. . 



Britain also announced the sending of soldiers to Afghanistan, 600 men, to provide support to British citizens who are about to leave the country, specifying that its embassy staff will be reduced.



According to a source cited by the PA, Canada will also send special forces to assist in the evacuation of embassy personnel in Kabul before closing.