Taliban approach Kabul's outskirts, attack north Afghan city
Source: AP
By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ and JOSEPH KRAUSS
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban seized two more provinces on Saturday and approached the outskirts of Afghanistan’s capital while also launching a multi-pronged assault on a major northern city defended by former warlords, Afghan officials said.
The insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the United States is set to withdraw its last troops, raising fears of a full militant takeover or another Afghan civil war.
The Taliban captured all of Logar province, just south of the capital, Kabul, and detained local officials, said Hoda Ahmadi, a lawmaker from the province. She said the Taliban have reached the Char Asyab district, just 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of Kabul.
The insurgents also captured the capital of Paktika, bordering Pakistan, according to Khalid Asad, a lawmaker from the province. He said fighting broke out in Sharana early Saturday but ended after local elders intervened to negotiate a pullout. He said the governor and other officials surrendered and were on their way to Kabul.
U.S. Embassy In Kabul Tells Staff To Destroy Sensitive Material And Evacuate
Source: NPR
A memo obtained by NPR lays out the emergency preparations being made by American diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul — including the destruction of sensitive documents and computers — as most of them prepare to leave the country.
The memo was written for staff at the embassy and shared with NPR on condition of anonymity.
Most will be evacuated by 3,000 U.S. troops on their way to Kabul to ensure a safe and orderly departure. The embassy will be evacuated and a very small consular staff will work in Kabul, the memo noted.
The embassy staffers were instructed to destroy sensitive documents and desktop computers before they leave, according to the document.
In early July, as Taliban insurgents were seizing territory from government forces across Afghanistan, fighters from the group walked into the offices of Azizi Bank in the southern city of Kandahar and ordered nine women working there to leave.
The gunmen escorted them to their homes and told them not to return to their jobs. Instead, they explained that male relatives could take their place, according to three of the women involved and the bank's manager.
"It's really strange to not be allowed to get to work, but now this is what it is," Noor Khatera, a 43-year-old woman who had worked in the accounts department of the bank told Reuters.
"I taught myself English and even learned how to operate a computer, but now I will have to look for a place where I can just work with more women around."
And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future
Heavy fighting, as well as a city-wide blackout, are being reported in Kabul as of early Aug. 15. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the Taliban may have begun their assault on the capital city.
This is a developing situation; additional information will be issued as warranted.
And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future
President Biden announced a total of 5,000 troops to be in Afghanistan, “to make sure we can have an orderly and safe drawdown of US personnel and other allied personnel and an orderly and safe evacuation of Afghans who helped our troops during our mission and those at special risk from the Taliban advance,” he said in a statement Saturday.
His announcement includes troops already on the ground in country, according to a defense official.
On Saturday the President approved the additional direct deployment of a battalion of 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne division directly in Kabul, instead of their original standby position in Kuwait.
That decision by Biden will now bring the total number of US troops in Kabul up to 5,000. The Pentagon had previously announced 3,000 troops were on their way, and approximately 1,000 troops had already been in Kabul for some time, the defense official said.
The 82nd Airborne troops redirected to Kabul were originally going to be part of up to 4,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne going to Kuwait on standby, to be used if needed.
The bulk of troops are expected in Kabul by the end of the weekend.
And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future