Fighting continues between the Taliban and government forces in three major cities in southern and western Afghanistan. Taliban extremists want to take these cities under their control. Clashes continued in Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar on Sunday as well. The Taliban has been increasingly taking control of the countryside ever since it was announced that nearly all foreign troops would be gone by September.
The fate of these major cities is standing at a critical juncture. Along with the fear of humanitarian crisis, there is also a apprehension about how long the government security forces will be able to last. Heavy fighting continued inside the city even on Sunday at Lashkar Gah. The rebels were reportedly only a few hundred meters from the governor’s office on Saturday, but were driven back by nightfall.
The full focus of the Taliban is now on the cities of Afghanistan. Things are changing but Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, where many American and British soldiers lost their lives, seems to be in its most vulnerable position. Videos uploaded from pro-Taliban social media accounts showing their fighters in the heart of the city.
