THE NOOSE TIGHTENS
As Taliban’s lightning march continues, US and UK rush to move their citizens out of the country
KABUL: The Taliban seized more major cities on Friday as they raced to take full control of Afghanistan and inched closer to Kabul, with the United States and Britain deploying thousands of troops to evacuate their citizens from the capital.
The evacuation orders came as the Taliban took control of Kandahar - the nation’s secondbiggest city - in the insurgency’s heartland, leaving only Kabul and pockets of other territories in government hands.
The Taliban also captured the capital of Logar province, just 50km from Kabul, with a local lawmaker saying the insurgents were in complete control of Pule-Alam city. Earlier on Friday, officials and residents in Kandahar told AFP that government forces had withdrawn en masse to a military facility outside the southern city. “Kandahar is completely conquered. The Mujahideen reached Martyrs’ Square,” a Taliban spokesman tweeted, referring to a city landmark.
Hours later, the Taliban said they had also taken control of Lashkar Gah, the capital of neighbouring Helmand province. A security source confirmed the fall of the city, telling AFP that the Afghan military and government officials had evacuated Lashkar Gah after striking a local ceasefire deal with the militants.
Eight-day blitz
The government has now effectively lost most of the country following an eight-day blitz into urban centres by the Taliban that has also stunned Kabul’s American backers.
The first wave of the offensive was launched in early May after the United States and its allies all but withdrew their forces from Afghanistan, with President Joe Biden determined to end two decades of war by September 11.
Biden insists he does not regret his decision, but the speed and ease of the Taliban’s urban victories in recent days has been a surprise and forced new calculations.
US, UK to pull out staff
Washington and London announced plans late on Thursday to pull out their embassy staff and citizens from the capital. “We are further reducing our civilian footprint in Kabul in light of the evolving security situation,” US state department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, while noting the embassy would remain open.
“This is not abandonment. This is not an evacuation. This is not the wholesale withdrawal,” he said.
The US is sending over 3,000 troops to Afghanistan to help in the evacuation of diplomats and special visa applicants in view of the deteriorating situation. These troops will deploy to the Hamid Karzai international airport in Kabul immediately. Another 1,000 personnel will be sent to Qatar to process Afghans who are being evacuated and relocated to the US on special visa. Another 3,500 troops will deploy from a base in the US to Kuwait to stand prepared to be sent to Afghanistan if needed.
Nato to hold urgent talks
Nato was also set to hold an urgent meeting later on Friday about the deteriorating situation, diplomatic and official sources told AFP. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg will lead discussions with envoys from the 30 allies.