The Taliban have taken control of Afghanistan’s fourth-largest city, Mazar-e-Sharif, after they launched a brutal offensive on the city. The Taliban had taken control of the Afghan cities of Ghazni and Herat on Thursday. This had increased the likelihood of Kabul’s imminent fall to the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban are also reported to have captured Jalalabad.
Mazar-e-Sharif was the last major Afghan city under government control. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was in the city only a few days ago to boost the morale of his troops.
According to news agency AP, an Afghan lawmaker said that the province’s national army corps surrendered first, prompting the pro-government militias and other forces to lose morale and give up in the face of the onslaught. Abas Ebrahimzada, a lawmaker from Balkh province whose capital city is Mazar-e-Sharif, told the news agency that the city fell to the Taliban largely without a fight.
The Taliban have now taken control of most of northern, western and southern Afghanistan within weeks of the American troops staqrting their withdrawal from the war-ravaged South Asian country.
There are reports that Ghani could step down even though he has not commented on the likelihood of quitting his post in light of a rapid advancement by the Taliban. In a televised address, Ghani said that his prime objective was to stop further instability in the country. He said, “As your president, my focus is on preventing further instability, violence, and displacement of my people.”
He added, “To do this, I have started widespread consultations within and outside the government, with political leaders and international partners and I will soon share the results with the people.”
According to the BBC, Ethnic Uzbek warlord, Abdul Rashid Dostum, and prominent ethnic Tajik leader Atta Mohammad Noor are reported to have fled the province.
The US, the UK and the EU have begun evacuating their nationals and diplomats as the fear of Kabul’s fall to the Taliban gains momentum.