Taliban seize control of three more Afghan provincial capitals

[Klaralven]

The Taliban tightened the noose around northern Afghanistan Sunday, capturing three more provincial capitals as they take their fight to the cities after seizing much of the countryside in recent months.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Taliban's political office told Al-Jazeera TV on Sunday that there is no agreement on a ceasefire with the Afghan government, and warned against further U.S. intervention in Afghanistan.

Taliban insurgents have snatched up five provincial capitals in Afghanistan since Friday in a lightning offensive that appears to have overwhelmed government forces.

Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Taloqan in the north fell within hours of each other Sunday, lawmakers, security sources and residents in the cities confirmed.

https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210808-total-chaos-as-taliban-clash-with-afghan-forces-in-bid-to-take-key-city-of-kunduz

[leftstreet]

2. Every day there's a breathless media Afghanistan update

but for the past decade...zip

I'm old enough to remember when the US supported the mujaheddin/Taliban against the Soviets

It's never not been a clusterfuck