Afghanistan crisis: Taliban start entering Kabul from all sides

Kabul is the last major city to be held by government forces, after all the provincial capitals fell to the Taliban offensive.

The Taliban started an offensive nearly two weeks ago, capturing a number of key towns, cities and border posts. Today’s strike on Kabul comes as international forces prepare to evacuate their diplomats amid the worsening security situation.

Reportedly, Taliban pledged not to take Afghan capital "by force".

"No one's life, property and dignity will be harmed and the lives of the citizens of Kabul will not be at risk," they said in a statement.

Moreover, peace talks have been taking place in Doha, Qatar, since last September between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

But the negotiations, which are being mediated by the international community, have failed.

Meanwhile, Matin Bek, the chief of staff to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani turned to his official twitter handle and wrote, "Don't panic! Kabul is safe!"

Don’t panic! Kabul is safe!

— Matin Bek (@MatinBek) August 15, 2021

Earlier yesterday, the Taliban captured two more provinces and approached the outskirts of Afghanistan’s capital.

The Taliban fighters also launched a multi-pronged assault on a major northern city defended by former warlords.

The insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the United States is set to withdraw its last troops, raising fears of a full militant takeover or another Afghan civil war.

The Taliban captured all of Logar province, just south of the capital, Kabul, and detained local officials, said Hoda Ahmadi, a lawmaker from the province

The insurgents also captured the capital of Paktika, bordering Pakistan, according to Khalid Asad, a lawmaker from the province. He said fighting broke out in Sharana early Saturday but ended after local elders intervened to negotiate a pullout. He said the governor and other officials surrendered and were on their way to Kabul.

Sayed Hussan Gerdezi, a lawmaker from the neighboring Paktia province, said the Taliban seized most of its local capital, Gardez, but that battles with government forces were still underway. The Taliban said they controlled the city.

The Taliban meanwhile attacked the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif from several directions, setting off heavy fighting on its outskirts, according to Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

The Taliban have made major advances in recent days, including capturing Herat and Kandahar, the country’s second- and third-largest cities. They now control 19 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, leaving the Western-backed government in control of a smattering of provinces in the center and east, as well as Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.