The Taliban refused an international call calling for a ceasefire in Afghanistan. Because they are looking for a new territory.
They are reported to have conquered the major cities of the north, Kunduz, Sar-e Pol and Taleqan. Fierce battles continue in other northern cities.
Since Friday, at least five local capitals have fallen into extremists. Kunduz is the biggest profit of the year.
According to the latest report, the northern city of Aibak near the Tajik border may have also fallen into the Taliban on Monday.
Rebels entered Aibak, the capital of Samangan, without fighting after community elders urged the city to escape further violence, Deputy Governor Cefatula Samangani told AFP.
“The governor accepted and withdrew all troops from the city,” he said.
Tolo News and Shamshad TV also tweeted that Afghan troops withdrew from the city without fighting. There was no immediate word from the army.
Elsewhere, U.S. and Afghan planes are bombing-although militants’ progress has not stopped, Afghan officials say dozens of Taliban have died.
Fierce fighting has been reported at Mazar-e-Sharif, a trading hub on the border between Pul-e-Khumri and Uzbekistan. Army commanders say they pushed extremists back from the suburbs.
Violence is escalating throughout Afghanistan, with most US-led troops withdrawing after 20 years of military operations.
The Taliban rapidly occupied vast countryside and are now targeting densely populated areas.
The three northern cities were placed under Taliban control within hours of each other on Sunday, and one in Kunduz described the situation as “total turmoil.”
Videos posted on social media showed Taliban fighters in government buildings in Kunduz and Sar-e Pol, but they could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, the Afghan government said special forces were still fighting in Kunduz.
A big explosion was heard outside the police headquarters in the southern city of Lashkar Gah on Monday morning. There, both sides were fighting for over a week.
Residents said about 20 civilians were killed and schools and clinics were destroyed in the last two days.
Importance of Kunduz
The seizure of Kunduz has been the most important benefit to the Taliban since May. A city with a population of 270,000 is considered the gateway to the mineral-rich northern states.
The location is also strategically important as there are highways connecting Kunduz and other cities, including Kabul, and the state borders Tajikistan.
The border is used for smuggling opium and heroin in Afghanistan, finding a way from Central Asia to Europe. Managing Kunduz means managing one of the most important drug routes in the region.
It also has a symbolic meaning for the Taliban, as it was a major base in the north before 2001. The militants occupied the city again in 2015 and 2016, but couldn’t hold it for a long time.