Afghanistan: Mazar-e-Sharif, Asadabad, Gardez captured

The Taliban have captured three more provincial capitals. Mazar-e-Sharif being their biggest catch of the day as it was the last northern capital under government control. It was also where Ashraf Ghani held meetings with northern warlords in a bid to get them together in their fight against the Taliban.

Mazar-e-Sharif, the latest and biggest victim of the day was first attacked 18 hours ago and after heavy fighting the Taliban managed to break through the gates and pushback the national forces. They managed to release all the prisoners from the city’s jail and anti-Taliban militias reported the national army troops of fleeing when the Taliban managed to break through the first line of defense. The governor’s office, police HQ, Afghan national intelligence NDS buildings and army bases were captured in the process, according to a Taliban spokesperson.

The military personnel have reportedly fled to the Uzbekistan border awaiting permission to enter the country and escape the Taliban.

Asadabad being the second victim of the day fell after Gardez. The provincial capital surrendered without a fight and locals reported senior government officials of fleeing. Government buildings in the city including the police station were first overrun and captured.

Gardez being the first victim of the day gave the Taliban a mass of weapons and ammunition to feast upon. They also seized the governor’s office, police HQ and an intelligence center situated in the city.

The news from the three provincial capitals comes right after Ashraf Ghani addressed his nation and vowed to remobilize his forces to tackle the Taliban threat. In the pre-recorded video message Ghani praised his forces and said he would not allow an “imposed” war take the lives of more people.

Only two major cities are left under government control. Jalalabad and Kabul.

Ghani showed his intent to arm militias and the way things are going, a civil war looks inevitable with the government breaking into different groups and the warlords and Taliban controlling separate regions of the country. Historically, the warlords have hated one another, their hatred based on violent ethnic backgrounds, with the people of every other ethnicity being alien to them. With another failed national setup along the arming of the militias, the various ethnicities will face persecution and revenge at the hands of the other and neither will accept a system that has anyone but their “kind” in power.