Taliban seize fifth provincial capital in Afghanistan after string of victories
Taloquan, the capital of Takhar Province, is the latest in a string of victories that come as foreign forces, led by the United States, complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan. The first provincial capital, On Sunday evening, Muhammad Naeem Wardak, the spokesman for the Taliban’s political bureau, warned the US against further intervention in Afghanistan.There is no ceasefire agreement with the Afghan government on the horizon as the Taliban continues its military gains, he told news network Al Jazeera Arabic. He also blamed the Afghan government for starting the recent fighting.”The Afghani government is the one who chose to start the war in different provinces,” Wardak said. “The measures that (the) Taliban took were in response and reaction to the government attacks and actions.”The US Embassy in Kabul has criticized the Taliban’s offensive on Afghan cities, saying on Sunday its actions to “forcibly impose its rule are unacceptable and contradict its claim to support a negotiated settlement in the Doha peace process.” “They demonstrate wanton disregard for the welfare and rights of civilians and will worsen this country’s humanitarian crisis,” said the embassy.
