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The Taliban’s gains have reached critical mass and they are now attempting to capture key cities in Afghanistan.
Airports in the second and fourth largest cities in the country, Kandahar and Herat, were struck by rockets in the last days of July and on August 1st.
Flights at airports in both cities had to be suspended, and the airport in Kandahar suffered a partially damaged runway.
Most recently, on August 1st, at least three rockets were launched towards the Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport in Kandahar.
Two of the projectiles hit the runway.
Officials in Kandahar claimed that there was a serious risk of the Taliban taking control over the city, adding that the group wanted to turn Kandahar into their temporary capital.
It is of symbolic importance since the Taliban movement was first created in Kandahar province.
In Herat, the Taliban claimed that its fighters had breached the main defense line of the northwestern Afghan city of Herat.
The Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid shared a video showing fighters on the outskirts of the city.
He then claimed that the Taliban were inside the city itself breaching its defenses.
The Afghan government sent large reinforcements of security forces to Herat in order to repel the Taliban’s attack.
The clashes have been on-going since July 28th.
The government forces are preparing to launch a large-scale operation to push Taliban fighters away from Herat city.
At least 20 people were killed, including 16 security force members, and 90 people were wounded in the past four days of fighting in Herat.
Meanwhile, the city most vulnerable to Taliban capture is reportedly Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province.
It is famous as a fighting point where many US and British soldiers have lost their lives in the past.
Pro-Taliban social media accounts have uploaded videos of Taliban fighters in the heart of the city.
Afghan special forces are being sent in to help push them back.
It is unknown whether that will work out, as the Taliban’s advance seems to be quite effective.
On July 31st, Taliban fighters were only a few hundred meters from the governor’s office in Lashkar Gah, but were subsequently pushed back.
Afghan and US air strikes have reportedly targeted Taliban positions and government forces say they have killed dozens of militants.
The fighting is evidently ramping up, as the Taliban now seek to capture the most significant cities in the country and prepare to put even more districts and provinces under their control.
Currently, the Taliban control at least 150 of the 407 districts in Afghanistan.
The Kabul government holds all 34 provincial centers, but that could quickly change.
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