AFGHANISTAN. Herat: Herat, the third-largest city of Afghanistan is surrounded by the Taliban for the second day now. The Afghan security forces along with local forces under former Jihadi leader Amir Ismail Khan, ran to the southern gates of Herat in Pol-E-Pashtun and Pol-Malan area of Herat to repulse the Taliban attacks.
Taliban captured the government compounds in the Gozara district of Herat. According to the reports, the Herat-Kabul flights are canceled for the third day now.
On Friday evening, the security and local forces retook the district of Gozara, and the US-B52 started bombarding the Taliban positions in the Gozara, Siawshan, and Pol-e-Pashtun area of Herat. Over 80 Taliban militants were killed.
Meanwhile, the US B-52 is back in action in Afghanistan as the Taliban makes advances toward the key cities of the country.
Taliban invasion in Afghanistan
In southern Afghanistan, Kandahar was captured by the Taliban. The majority of its districts centers including the strategic Spin Boldak in Pakistan border crossing have seen several US airstrikes. Two weeks ago, other similar airstrikes were carried out against the Taliban in Spin Boldak of Kandahar and Helmand.
Last week, US Central Commander General Kenneth McKenzie said that the US airstrikes will continue against the Taliban.
“The United States will continue to carry out airstrikes to support Afghan forces facing attack from the Taliban, US Central Commander General Kenneth McKenzie said at a news conference in Kabul on.”
“The United States has increased airstrikes in support of Afghan forces over the last several days and we’re prepared to continue this heightened level of support in the coming weeks if the Taliban continue their attacks,” McKenzie said.
The tragic situation in the country
Following the air support of foreign forces in the provinces invaded by the Taliban, the Indian aircrafts bombarded the Taliban positions in Lashkargah city of Helmand on Saturday. The Taliban spokesman confirmed the attacks, saying the area was a local hospital.
The security situation continues to deteriorate in several key cities of Afghanistan. The clashes between the security and local forces continue in several parts of Herat city, Kandahar, and Helmand.
According to local sources, the Taliban broke the southern security belt of Herat city and entered some parts of the city after 20 years.
The B52 has been flying over Herat since Friday night at 10:20 pm. It has bombarded some villages in Herat where the Taliban fighters were fighting the security forces.
Also Read: US Continues Airstrikes Against The Taliban: US General Kenneth McKenzie
Meanwhile, the local forces reported Chichin and Pakistani fighters among the Taliban in Herat. Golab Sha, a resident of the Pol-e-Pashtun area of Herat who fled his house and came to the city told Transcontinental Times that many of the Taliban fighters were not familiar with the areas of Herat.
“Some of the fighters are Chichin and Pakistanis who won’t stop fighting till they receive a bullet in their head,” he said.
“Some of the Taliban fighters were fighting barefoot, running toward the security forces and fired bullets and rockets. They were not afraid of bullets,” Munir from Gozara said.
