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Resurgent Taliban escalates nationwide offensive in Afghanistan
Also: Afghanistan: Taliban continue attacks on three major cities (BBC)
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Source: The Guardian and agencies
Resurgent Taliban escalates nationwide offensive in Afghanistan
Afghan forces defend western city of Herat and Lashkar Gah in south as Kandahar airport hit by rockets
Peter Beaumont and agencies
Sun 1 Aug 2021 13.47 BST
The Taliban escalated its nationwide offensive in Afghanistan on Sunday, renewing assaults on three major cities and rocketing a major airport in the south amid warnings that the conflict was rapidly worsening.
As Afghan government forces struggled with a resurgent Taliban after the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces, hundreds of commandos were deployed to the economically important western city of Herat, while authorities in the southern city of Lashkar Gah called for more troops to rein in the assaults amid fierce fighting.
In Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand – once the focus of UK military efforts – eyewitnesses described street fighting, bodies lying in the open and Afghan government and US airstrikes raining down on Taliban positions.
According to reports from the city, Afghan forces remained in control of the city centre late on Sunday.
-snip-
Afghan forces defend western city of Herat and Lashkar Gah in south as Kandahar airport hit by rockets
Peter Beaumont and agencies
Sun 1 Aug 2021 13.47 BST
The Taliban escalated its nationwide offensive in Afghanistan on Sunday, renewing assaults on three major cities and rocketing a major airport in the south amid warnings that the conflict was rapidly worsening.
As Afghan government forces struggled with a resurgent Taliban after the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces, hundreds of commandos were deployed to the economically important western city of Herat, while authorities in the southern city of Lashkar Gah called for more troops to rein in the assaults amid fierce fighting.
In Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand – once the focus of UK military efforts – eyewitnesses described street fighting, bodies lying in the open and Afghan government and US airstrikes raining down on Taliban positions.
According to reports from the city, Afghan forces remained in control of the city centre late on Sunday.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/01/resurgent-taliban-escalates-nationwide-offensive-in-afghanistan
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Source: BBC
Afghanistan: Taliban continue attacks on three major cities
1 August 2021
Fighting is raging around three major cities in south and west Afghanistan, as Taliban militants seek to seize them from government forces.
Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar saw continued clashes on Sunday.
The Taliban have made rapid rural gains since it was announced almost all foreign troops would go by September.
But the fate of these key cities could be crucial amid fears of a humanitarian crisis and how long government forces will be able to hold out.
The fundamentalist Islamist militia is already thought to have captured up to half of all Afghanistan's territory, including lucrative border crossings with Iran and Pakistan, but it has yet to take a provincial capital.
-snip-
1 August 2021
Fighting is raging around three major cities in south and west Afghanistan, as Taliban militants seek to seize them from government forces.
Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar saw continued clashes on Sunday.
The Taliban have made rapid rural gains since it was announced almost all foreign troops would go by September.
But the fate of these key cities could be crucial amid fears of a humanitarian crisis and how long government forces will be able to hold out.
The fundamentalist Islamist militia is already thought to have captured up to half of all Afghanistan's territory, including lucrative border crossings with Iran and Pakistan, but it has yet to take a provincial capital.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58040141