Taliban captures capital of Afghanistan’s Nimroz province

Kabul [Afgfhanistan], August 7 (ANI): Taliban on Friday captured the capital of Nimroz province along the Iranian border amid US troop withdrawal from the country.

The Taliban attacked Zaranj, the provincial capital on Thursday night, local media reported. Citing the reports, Tolo News reported that government assets were looted in different parts of the city. According to the reports, the Taliban after capturing Kanak district in Nimroz brutally executed at least 30 Afghan soldiers. But the Taliban have rejected the allegations, saying the soldiers were killed during clashes.

“All people including women and children had flocked there,” said a resident in Nimroz, referring to an attempt by hundreds of Nimroz residents to cross the border to Iran. Meanwhile, two large explosions were heard at the police headquarters in downtown Zaranj.

“Eyewitnesses in the city of Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz province, say that this evening the police command of the province, which is under the control of the Taliban, was the target of an airstrike. According to witnesses, two large explosions were heard at the police headquarters in downtown Zaranj,” Tolo News tweeted.

Earlier on Friday, United Nations Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons said that Afghanistan is at a “dangerous turning point” as the Taliban has achieved significant territorial gains with over a thousand casualties in the past one month alone. These remarks come amid the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. With US military drawdown less than a month away from competition, violence is at its peak in the country. Doha, the capital of Qatar has been hosting the intra-Afghan peace talks.

As many as 1,677 civilians were killed and 3,644 more were injured in Afghanistan in the first six months of this year, showing an 80 per cent increase of casualties compared to last year. (ANI)