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The Taliban have claimed to have seized Herat, Afghanistan’s third-largest city amid US troop withdrawal from the country. Sputnik reported citing a Taliban statement said that buildings in the province, including the police headquarters, came under Taliban control, and government forces laid down their arms.Meanwhile, Al Jazeera has reported that Taliban has entered Kandahar city. Some local residents told the media outlet that the situation in Afghanistan’s second-largest city was dire, as intense fighting rages between rebels and government forces inside the city limits.
Earlier today, the Taliban captured Ghazni, the country’s tenth provincial city to fall under Taliban control. Afghanistan is witnessing a surge in violence as the Taliban has intensified its offensive against Afghan forces and civilians with the complete pullback of foreign forces just a few weeks away.
On Wednesday, President Ashraf Ghani appointed a new chief of army staff in an attempt to give a robust response to the terror group on the ground.
Haibatullah Alizai replaced Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai, as the new chief of army staff. Alizai previously worked as commander of the Afghan National Army Commando.