Friday, March 29, 2024

When the Taliban surrounded the city of Herat, Afghanistan, Kabul sent a commando

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On July 8, 2021, Afghan security forces guarded the road where the Taliban militants continued to exchange fire in the western city of Qala-i-Naw in Badghis Province.Photo: AFP
  • President Ashraf Ghani stated that the government is capable of handling this situation, but acknowledged the difficulties.
  • In London, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that most British troops have left Afghanistan as part of NATO’s withdrawal at the same time as the United States’ withdrawal.
  • After a stalemate for several months, the supposed peace talks between the rebels and the Doha government basically ended in failure.

Herat: On Thursday, the Afghan commandos competed with the Taliban for control of a provincial capital because the president insisted that even if the US troops may be completely withdrawn in a few days, they are capable of defeating the insurgents.

Fighting in the capital of Badghis Province was fierce for the second day in a row. Smoke billowed over Qala-i-Naw. Residents either fled the city or set up roadblocks in their homes.

According to the Pentagon, as the U.S. troop withdrawal is “90% complete,” the insurgents have launched a fierce campaign to conquer new territories, and there is growing concern that the Afghan army will collapse without important US air support.

President Ashraf Ghani stated that the government is capable of handling this situation, but acknowledged the difficulties.

He said in a speech in Kabul: “What we have witnessed is one of the most complicated stages in the transition process.”

“The legitimacy is ours; God is with us.”

In London, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that most British troops have left Afghanistan as part of NATO’s withdrawal at the same time as the United States’ withdrawal.

“I will not disclose the timetable for our departure, but I can tell the House of Representatives that most of our personnel have already left,” he said in a statement to members of Congress on Thursday.

U.S. President Joe Biden will speak on the U.S. withdrawal later the day after meeting with his national security team.

The withdrawal of American and NATO troops-two decades later in the country-greatly encouraged the Taliban, who seemed eager to achieve a full military victory.

After a stalemate for several months, the supposed peace talks between the rebels and the Doha government basically ended in failure.

The video obtained by Agence France-Presse showed thick smoke and gunfire rising over Qala-i-Naw on Thursday.

Badghis Health Officer Abdul Latif Rostaee said that since the fighting broke out, at least 10 civilians have been taken to the hospital.

“The Taliban have resumed attacks from multiple directions with light and heavy weapons,” Badghis Governor Hesamuddin Shams told AFP on Thursday.

“Our security forces are fighting them bravely, and the enemy is being repelled. They are running away. We will deal a heavy blow to the enemy.”

On Wednesday, the Taliban briefly seized the police headquarters and the local office of the country’s spy agency, but were later pushed back.

However, Aziz Tawakoli, a resident of Qala-i-Naw, stated that Taliban militants are still roaming the city.

“You can see them walking up and down the street on motorcycles,” he said.

Tabakoli said many of the city’s 75,000 people have fled their homes-either to nearby areas or to the neighboring province of Herat.

“The shops are closed and there are almost no people on the street,” he said, adding that helicopters and planes bombed Taliban targets all night.

Zia Gul Habibi, a member of the Badghis Provincial Assembly, said that the Taliban suffered heavy casualties but also surrounded the city.

“All areas are under their control…people are really scared,” she said.

“All shops and government agencies are closed. There are still sporadic reports of fighting.”

Women will not be able to work

Parisila Herawai, a human rights activist in the city, expressed concern about the safety of women.

She told AFP: “For all women, especially activists, this is an emergency.”

“If the Taliban plan to stay in this city, we will not be able to work.”

Local officials said that some security officials surrendered to the Taliban, and the insurgents opened the door of the city prison and released hundreds of prisoners.

Officials said most people were later re-captured.

Spokesperson Fawad Aman said on Twitter that, overnight, the Ministry of Defense rushed hundreds of commandos to the city for “large-scale operations.”

The attack on Qala-i-Naw came as the Taliban launched a fierce campaign across the country, but mainly in the north, having occupied dozens of areas since the beginning of May.

Fighting appeared to be spreading in Herat, where officials admitted that the insurgents had lost two areas.

Human rights group Human Rights Watch said that the rebels forced people to leave their houses in the northern areas they occupied.

“The Taliban’s retaliatory attacks on civilians deemed to support the government are an ominous warning of the risk of future atrocities,” said Patricia Gosman, deputy director of Human Rights Watch.

“The Taliban leadership has the right to stop their troops from committing these abuses, but they have not shown their willingness to do so.”

At the same time, the Iranian National News Agency stated that the meeting between the Afghan government delegation and Taliban representatives in Tehran ended on Thursday, and both parties urged an end to the fighting and more talks.


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