© screenshot
The Taliban on Tuesday entered
Farah city in western Afghanistan, making it the ninth provincial center to be partly or fully captured by the insurgents.
Acknowledging coordinated Taliban assaults on the city which serves as the capital of Farah province, local police spokesman Farooq Khalid told Anadolu Agency that intense clashes between government forces and the Taliban fighters were underway.
He claimed that over 80 advancing Taliban insurgents were killed by security forces.
The Taliban, however, claimed to have reached the city center. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed tweeted:
"Two checkpoints were captured near the intelligence and police command center a moment ago, and the 'Mujahideen' launched their attacks on the intelligence and police command center. The battle continues and the 'Mujahideen' advance."
In a major push to repel advancing Taliban from urban centers, the
Afghan forces claimed to kill 361 insurgents in air and ground offensives in the past 24 hours.
The Defense Ministry said the operations were conducted in the Nangarhar, Kunar, Logar, Paktia, Paktika, Maidan Wardak, Kandahar, Sar-e Pol, Helmand, Kunduz, and Baghlan provinces.
Farah became the ninth provincial capital after Qala-e-Nau, Lashkargah, Zaranj, Sheberghan, Kunduz, Taluqan, Aybak, and Sar-e-Pul to have been at least partly overrun by the Taliban.
Comment: Iran is playing tough - because it is. Biden and crew are no match. Hubris will out them quickly.