Taliban insurgents have made rapid advances across Afghanistan in recent months because the US and other foreign forces withdraw. Following may be a list of provincial capitals that have fallen to, or are being contested by the Islamist militants. Afghanistan has 34 provinces.
Aug. 6 – ZARANJ. The Taliban take over the town in Nimroz province within the south, the primary capital to fall to the insurgents since they stepped up attacks on Afghan forces in early May.
Aug. 7 – SHEBERGHAN. The Taliban declare they need captured the whole northern province of Jawzjan, including its capital Sheberghan. Heavy fighting is reported within the city, and government buildings are appropriated by the insurgents. Afghan security forces say they’re still fighting there.
– Aug. 8 – SAR-E-PUL. The insurgents take hold of Sar-e-Pul, the capital of the northern province of an equivalent name. it’s the primary of three provincial centres to fall on an equivalent day.
Aug. 8 – KUNDUZ. Taliban fighters seize control of the northern city of 270,000 people, considered a strategic prize because it lies at the gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia. Government forces say they’re resisting the insurgents from a military base and therefore the airport.
– Aug. 8 – TALOQAN. The capital of Takhar province, also within the north, falls to the Taliban within the evening. They free prisoners and force officialdom to escape .
Aug. 9 – AYBAK. The capital of the northern province of Samangan is overrun by Taliban fighters.
– Aug. 10 – PUL-E-KHUMRI. The capital of the central province of Baghlan falls to the Taliban, consistent with residents.
– Aug. 11 – FAIZABAD. The capital of the northeastern province of Badakhshan is under Taliban control, a provincial councillor says.
– Aug. 12 – GHAZNI. The insurgents take over the town , capital of the province of an equivalent name, a senior security officer says.
– Aug. 12 – FIRUS KOH. The capital of Ghor province was handed over to the Taliban on Thursday night without a fight, security officials said.
– Aug. 13 – QALA-E-NAW. The Taliban have captured the capital of the northwestern province of Badghis, a security official and therefore the Taliban said.
– Aug. 13 – KANDAHAR. The Taliban have captured Afghanistan`s second-biggest city of Kandahar, officialdom and therefore the Taliban said.
– Aug. 13 – LASHKAR GAH. The Taliban have captured the capital of the southern province of Helmand, police said.
– Aug. 13 – HERAT. The capital of Herat province within the west was under Taliban control after days of clashes, a provincial councillor said.
– Aug. 14 – PUL-E-ALAM. The capital of Logar province fell to the Taliban without much resistance, an area provincial councillor said.
– Aug. 14 – MAZAR-I-SHARIF, the capital of Balkh province and therefore the biggest city within the north has fallen to the Taliban, a provincial council official said.
– Aug. 14 – MAYMANA, the capital of the northern province of Faryab was handed over to the Taliban, a provincial official said.
– Aug. 15 – JALALABAD. Taliban insurgents took control of the key eastern city and capital of Nangarhar province without a fight on Sunday, leaving the territory controlled by the crumbling government to little quite the capital Kabul.
