US Doubts Taliban’s Uninterrupted Advance in Afghanistan
The Taliban is rapidly advancing and seizing provinces. US intelligence agencies have stated that if the Taliban continues at its current pace, Kabul could fall within the next 90 days. The US is doubtful that the Taliban can maintain its pace of advance.
The Washington Post, citing US intelligence agencies, reported the possibility of Taliban takeover of Kabul within 30 to 90 days. This assessment is conditional on the Taliban continuing its advance at the current pace. This comes as American officials in June had assessed that Kabul might come under Taliban control within six to twelve months after the withdrawal of American forces. The Washington Post, citing a US intelligence source, wrote: “Everything is going in the wrong direction”.
However, Ned Price, the US State Department spokesperson, said he is not certain that the Taliban can continue its advance uninterrupted. He criticized attacks on provincial centers and civilians as contradictory to the spirit of the agreement reached between the Taliban and the United States last year.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, August 20 (August 11) to CNN: “The latest developments and the situation of the Afghan people are very concerning. Perhaps I can even personally meet with the Taliban leadership.”
On Wednesday, the Taliban seized the airport and a major military base in Kunduz city, which has a population of 380,000. This is the same base where 100 German army soldiers were stationed last year. Over the past few days, all major administrative and government buildings in this city have fallen to the Taliban.
The German news agency (dpa), citing provincial councils and Afghan security agencies, reported that the Taliban did not find any helicopters or aircraft with flying capability at Kunduz airport. However, thousands of heavy weapons and ammunition are likely to have fallen into their hands. Afghan security forces, government officials, police forces, and the army abandoned or surrendered their bases in Kunduz on Wednesday morning.
According to media reports, the Taliban took control of Faizabad city, the capital of Badakhshan province in the northeast, yesterday. Previously, the important city of Pul-i-Alam with a population of 250,000 in the northern province of Baghlan had also fallen. This city is only about 200 kilometers away from Kabul. The ground routes there to the north towards Mazar-i-Sharif have been cut.
It has been reported that government soldiers surrendered the city without resistance. Commanders and other officials had left two weeks earlier. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani traveled to Mazar-i-Sharif on Wednesday to assess the situation.
According to Russian sources, the Taliban has also taken control of Afghanistan’s borders with the republics of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The Kommersant newspaper stated on Wednesday, citing Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, that the Taliban cannot go beyond this point.
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that soldiers stationed in Tajikistan have received new weapons. It is said that air defense systems, flame throwers, and machine guns have been delivered to bases near the Afghan border. Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan conducted a multi-day exercise that ended on Tuesday.
Despite the severely critical and threatening situation in Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden has defended his decision to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan and said he has no regrets about this action. He stated that the United States will continue to provide financial and military support to Afghan security forces.
According to the United Nations, at least 1,000 civilians were killed last month alone during the Taliban’s advances in various provinces of Afghanistan. Thousands have fled their cities and sought refuge in Kabul. Many are trying to leave the country.
Source: DW
