Afghanistan: Violent Clashes Escalate As US Forces Withdraw

Hundreds of Taliban fighters have been killed in fierce fighting with Afghan officials in several Afghan provinces, while Washington has announced it will complete the withdrawal of its troops by the end of August.

According to the report, Washington’s announcement came at a time when all US and NATO troops evacuated Bagram Air Base, from where coalition forces continued operations against the Taliban and al-Qaeda allies for two decades.

More than 300 Taliban fighters have been killed in fighting with government forces in the past 24 hours, according to the Afghan Ministry of Defense.

Hundreds of Taliban militants have been killed in Helmand province, including airstrikes in the third half of the night.

It is feared that Afghan forces will struggle without US-provided air support.

Ataullah Afghan, a member of Helmand’s provincial council, said the Afghan Air Force had stepped up its airstrikes against Taliban strongholds in recent days and the insurgents had suffered casualties.

The Taliban, on the other hand, rejected the government’s claims.

Last month, US President Joe Biden told his Afghan counterpart, Ashraf Ghani, that Afghans must decide their own future.

Ashraf Ghani said that now his responsibility is to deal with the effects of the withdrawal of US troops.

The agreement between the US and the Taliban was reached during the administration of former US President Donald Trump.

In this regard, a resident of Kabul said that history is repeating itself, the Americans are doing what the Russians did, they are leaving without ending the war.

“I think our country is on the brink of another civil war because the Taliban have stepped up their attacks and the Americans are leaving,” he said.

The Taliban, meanwhile, have besieged almost all major cities in the country and claimed control of seven more districts in the northeastern province of Badakhshan on Saturday.

Near Bajaur tribal district, the Taliban took control of nine Afghan National Army (ANA) posts in Kunar Province.

Citing security officials, he reported that up to 39 ANA personnel surrendered to the Taliban, while 31 others fled across the border into Pakistan.

The fleeing Afghan soldiers took refuge at a Pakistani outpost near Ghakhi Pass and were later handed over to senior ANA officials, sources said.

This is the first time the Taliban have attacked military posts in the Afghan territory near the border.

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