Taliban seizes two cities in Afghanistan — 12 provincial capitals now captured (updated)

Taliban fighters have captured Kandahar and Herat, Afghanistan‘s second and third largest cities, respectively, hours after the takeover of Ghazni.

Kandahar and Herat were both captured by the armed group on Thursday.

Herat had reportedly been under attack for two weeks before Taliban fighters finally broke through the city’s defensive lines.

Semin Barekzai, Afghan lawmaker, who confirmed the capture of Herat, said some government officials escaped the clutches of the armed group.

Earlier on Thursday, the insurgents had captured Ghazni city, which is said to link the Afghanistan capital with the country’s southern provinces.

Before the capture of Kandahar, according to Al-Jazeera, the insurgents have taken over 11 of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals within the past week.

Aside from Herat and Kandahar, between August 7 and August 12, the following provincial capitals were captured: Zaranj, Sheberghan, Sar-e-Pul, Kunduz, Taluqan, Aybak, Farah, Pul-e-Khumri, Faizabad, and Ghazni.

Taliban fighters reportedly seized government buildings amid gunfire, and the armed group is now said to control two-thirds of the country.

Violence had escalated across Afghanistan after the United States and other international forces began to withdraw their troops from the country, after about 20 years of military operations.

Thousands of people have reportedly fled their homes amid the crisis.

According to the US, the insurgents could gain a full control of the country within a few months if the current trends continues.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated following the capture of the city of Kandahar, hours after the takeover of Herat by Taliban fighters.