Afghanistan: Taliban captures Jalalabad; approaches to capital city

On Saturday, the Taliban attacked Mazar-e-Sharif, the fourth largest city in Afghanistan, thereby establishing control over North Afghanistan. This brings them one step closer to capturing the entire nation. 

Terror group Taliban on Sunday captured the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, isolating Kabul, the capital city. This brings them one step closer to capturing the entire nation. 

On Saturday, the Taliban attacked Mazar-e-Sharif, the fourth largest city in Afghanistan, thereby establishing control over North Afghanistan. 

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“There are no clashes taking place right now in Jalalabad because the governor has surrendered to the Taliban,” a Jalalabad-based Afghan official told Reuters. “Allowing passage to the Taliban was the only way to save civilian lives.”

Jalalabad was surrendered to the insurgent group by officials “casualties and destruction”, an official told Reuters. The fall of Jalalabad also gives them control over a road leading to Pakistan’s Peshawar, which was considered as an escape route for civilians. 

US President Joe Biden on Saturday ordered the deployment of 5,000 US troops for emergency evacuation of embassy employees and other civilians. 

“We have a small batch of people leaving now as we speak, a majority of the staff are ready to leave,” a U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday. “The embassy continues to function.”

Taliban spokesperson Muhammed Suhail Shaheen on Saturday assured that diplomats or embassies will not be attacked. 

According to Reuters, the Taliban in a statement on Saturday said that its rapid gains showed it was popularly accepted by the Afghan people and reassured both Afghans and foreigners that they would be safe.