Afghanistan Army Chief removed from post

According to Afghan local media, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has removed General Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai as the army chief and he has been replaced by General Haibatullah Alizai.

Earlier today, the Taliban captured the ninth Afghan provincial capital taking hold of more than a quarter of country’s provincial capitals in less than a week.

According to Al-Jazeera, Badakhshan province’s capital Faizabad is the latest to fall to the group amid the US withdrawal.

The Taliban have now seized nine provincial capitals including Faizabad, Aybak, Pul-e-Khumri, Farah, Sar-e-Pul, Sheberghan, Kunduz, Zaranj and Taluqan.

Zabihullah Attiq, a local lawmaker, told the AFP news agency that security forces had retreated from the city after days of heavy clashes. “The Taliban have captured the city now,” he said.

The Afghan government and military have not commented on the matter as yet.