This archive report was first published on 8 July 2021.
July 8, 2021 - The withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan has emboldened the Taliban, who are now pressing for a full military victory.
As the situation in Qala-i-Naw, the capital of Badghis province, continues to deteriorate, Afghan commandos have been deployed to battle the Taliban for control of the city.
President Ashraf Ghani has insisted that the government has the capacity to handle the situation, despite the challenges ahead.
“What we are witnessing is one of the most complicated stages of the transition,” he said in a speech in Kabul.
“Legitimacy is ours; God is with us.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that most British troops have left Afghanistan as part of a NATO withdrawal.
US President Joe Biden is due to speak on the US pullout later in the day after meeting his national security team.
The Taliban have launched a blistering campaign to capture new territory, and fears are mounting that Afghan forces will collapse without vital American air support.
At least 10 civilians have been taken to hospital since the fighting erupted, according to Badghis health official Abdul Latif Rostaee.
Badghis Governor Hessamuddin Shams told AFP that the Taliban have resumed their attacks from several directions with light and heavy weapons.
“Our security forces are bravely fighting them and the enemy is being pushed back. They are fleeing. We will give a hard blow to the enemy.”
