New Delhi: As Taliban advances across Afghanistan making its way to the capital city, the militants have captured Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern province of Helmand, a police official said on Friday. After two weeks of heavy fighting, the government lost its stronghold in the town till about Thursday midnight. “About 200 ANDSF members, who were left in the governor’s compound, with the intervention of elders, surrendered to the Taliban,” the official told Reuters.
On Thursday, the Taliban claimed to capture Herat, Afghanistan`s third-largest city amid US troop withdrawal from the country. As the insurgents make rapid advancement, the US intelligence warned that Kabul could fall to the militants within the next 90 days.
Meanwhile, India issued an advisory asking its citizens to leave for India immediately. The advisory issued on Thursday asked all Indian nationals and professionals operating in Afghanistan, nearly 1500 of them, to strictly adhere to the steps announced earlier by the Indian embassy.
13 August 2021, 12:07 PM
The United Nations has warned that a Taliban offensive reaching the capital would have a “catastrophic impact on civilians” but there is little hope for negotiations to end the fighting with the Taliban apparently set on a military victory. In the deal struck with former US President Donald Trump`s administration last year, the insurgents agreed not to attack US-led foreign forces as they withdrew.
They also made a commitment to discuss peace but intermittent meetings with government representatives have proved fruitless. International envoys to Afghan negotiations in Qatar called for an accelerated peace process as a “matter of great urgency” and for a halt to attacks on cities. (Reuters)
13 August 2021, 11:49 AM
The Taliban have captured Afghanistan`s Lashkar Gah, capital of the southern province of Helmand, after two weeks of heavy fighting, a police official said on Friday. Government and senior armed forces officials flew by helicopter out of the government`s last stronghold in the town at about midnight on Thursday, said the official, who declined to be identified. (Reuters)
13 August 2021, 11:48 AM
Apart from India, the US, UK and Germany has issued similar advisories, asking their nationals to immediately return home.
13 August 2021, 11:46 AM
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a press briefing assured that India is in touch with all the stakeholders in Afghanistan and closely monitoring the ground situation in the war-ravaged country.
13 August 2021, 11:45 AM
The advisory issued by the Indian embassy in Kabul asked all Indian nationals and professionals operating in Afghanistan to strictly adhere to the steps announced earlier. While in its last order, the Indian embassy in Afghanistan had asked all citizens to immediately leave for India.
Bureau Report
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