The Taliban has taken over Ghazni, marking the tenth provincial capital to fall to the militant group in just a week. Security forces and the governor of Afghan allegedly fled the city, leading to the governor’s arrest by Afghan security forces. Ghazni is located on the major Kabul-Kandahar roadway, meaning that the Taliban may be able to facilitate traffic easier and create better connections between militant strongholds. Officials are concerned that the capture of Ghazni increases the likelihood of the Taliban aiming to take Kabul. As of now, almost one-third of the country’s provincial capitals are under Taliban control. The terrorist group has moved very quickly, seizing new territories almost daily.
In Ghazni, only one police base on the outskirts of the capital remains under the control of Afghan police forces. In another province, heavy fighting was reportedly occurring in the city of Kandahar on Wednesday. The Taliban claims to have taken over Kandahar’s prison, however, these claims remain unverified. According to UN reports, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan over the past month due to conflicts between the insurgents and Afghan security forces. Thousands of Afghans from northern provinces have been internally displaced, most of which traveled to Kabul to seek safety from the militant group.
Read More: Taliban take 10th provincial capital as Ghazni falls
