Since the beginning of May, violence in the country has increased dramatically. According to statistics, during May and the first week of June this year, cases of violence were recorded in all provinces of the country. About 5,000 civilians and people from clashing parties were killed during the month. The Taliban say they have seized about 14 districts across the country in the past month (since the beginning of May). Meanwhile, more than 10 policemen were killed in different districts. Security officials, however, say the Taliban have also suffered “heavy” casualties. The Ministry of Defense states that the security forces have made a tactical retreat from a number of points due to the possibility of civilian casualties. According to officials at the Ministry of Defence, “retreat” does not mean collapse of district; Because plans are now underway for a stronger return of security forces to those areas. The Ministry of Defense says security forces’ operations are slow due to the Taliban’s presence in people’s homes as well as the placement of mines. Under the Doha agreement, the United States said it would withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by May; But this process was delayed for about three months. The Taliban responded by saying that violating the Doha agreement would pave the way for any action by the group.
The Taliban have taken control of the districts
In the second half of this year, the Taliban claimed to have captured the district in an attack on the Charkh Logar. The Ministry of Defense and local officials in Logar, however, responded to the claim by saying that they had moved the district center to another location at the request of Charkh residents. Charkh Logar has seen heavy fighting over the years, with the Taliban operating extensively. The district is adjacent to Pul-e-Alam, the center of Logar, Kharwar and Baraki Barak districts of Logar and Sayedabad district of Maidan Wardak province. Earlier, local officials in the province said that three districts in Charkh, Azra and Kharwar had fallen to the Taliban and that the group controlled most parts of the province.
Subsequently, the Taliban group announced on the May 4th that it had taken control of Barka in Baghlan. Baghlan police announced the next day that government forces had withdrawn from the district center following a Taliban overnight attack. According to local officials, security forces were deployed in an area of the district after the retreat. Barka is located 85 km from the center of Baghlan and is adjacent to Guzargah Noor, Jalga, Nahrin and Baghlan Jadid districts of the province. After the fall of the Barka, Governor of Nahrin district in Baghlan warned on May 28th that the Taliban had now gathered around the district and that the district was in danger of collapsing. However, the Taliban continue to claim that they have taken control of Dahana Ghori district; But security agencies have not yet commented. Earlier, fierce clashes continued in the district.
Local officials in Maidan Wardak also announced on May 11th that the Nirkh district in the province had fallen to the Taliban. Abdul Rahman Tariq, the governor of the province, said the Nirkh district had been taken over by the Taliban due to a compromise. The district has seen significant attacks by Taliban fighters in recent years. Nirkh District of Maidan Wardak is adjacent to Jalriz, Daimirdad, Chak and Sayedabad districts of the province, Paghman, Chahar Asyab of Kabul, Pul-e-Alam and Mohammad Agha of Logar. On the 31st of saur, the Taliban claimed to have captured Jalrez district of Maidan Wardak as well. Earlier, security forces had gone to clear the Kabul-Bamyan highway. The district is adjacent to the center of Maidan Wardak and the districts of Hisa Awal Behsud, Daimirdad and Nirkh of this province, Surkh Parsa of Parwan and Paghman of Kabul.
The Taliban took control of the Dawlat Shah district building in Laghman on May 19th. The group’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, announced the capture of the district the same day. Golzar Sangarwal, a member of the provincial council, also said that the center of Dawlat Shah district had fallen to the Taliban and that security forces had retreated without casualties. He also reported clashes in the Alishing district at the same time. Dawlat Shah Laghman is adjacent to Alishing district of this province, Noorgram, Doab and Mandul districts of Nooristan, Dara e Panjshir and Nejrab and Alasai of Kapisa.
On the 14th of Jawza, the Taliban claimed to have captured the Mandul district of Nooristan. This district is bordered by Parun, the center of Nuristan and Doab district of this province and the districts of Dara, Paryan and Hisa Awal Panjshir. However, local officials did not comment. Just a day later, the Taliban took control of the Doab district of Nooristan, which borders with Dawlat Shah district. Serious attacks on the district building were launched for the first time on the third of Jawza; But local officials went on to say it was repulsed. In addition to Dawlat Shah of Laghman, Doab is bordered by Parun, the capital of Nuristan, and the Mandul and Nurgram districts of the province. Thus, the Taliban took control of the two neighboring districts within two days. The group’s fighters had previously entered Panjshir territory through the same route.
Sources confirmed on June 5th that the Shinkai district of Zabul had fallen to the Taliban. Assadullah Kakar, a member of the provincial council, said that after the withdrawal of security forces stationed in the district buildings and the police headquarters, its facilities had fallen into the hands of the Taliban and were controlled by the group. He said troops stationed there had moved to the army base. According to Kakar, fierce clashes between the two sides in the district continued for several days. Gul Islam Sial, spokesman for the Zabul governor, told 8am that the district was under the control of security forces. In addition to sharing borders with Qalat, the center of Zabul, it is bordered with Tarnak and Jaldak, Shah joi, Naw Shahr, Shomol zai and Atghar districts of this famous province and Arghistan of Kandahar. The Taliban had also attacked Shamluzi district two years ago.
The Taliban also claimed control of Ghazni’s Dehik district on June 5th. However, local officials in the province said the district was still under government control; But at the request of the people, the district center has been relocated. According to sources, Taliban attacks on the district have been repelled. Deh Yak is adjacent to center of Ghazni and Sharan, the center of Paktika, with the districts of Zana Khan and Andar of the province, Kharwar of Logar, Zurmat of Paktia and Mata Khan of Paktika.
Also in Uruzgan, the Taliban claimed to have taken control of Gizab district. On June 5th, security sources told 8 a.m. that if help is not sent from security forces stationed in the district, the building would fall completely to the Taliban. According to sources, the district building and the police headquarters were destroyed during the attacks, and security forces retreated to the army base and farther security checkpoints. Sources stated that the Taliban were equipped with laser weapons; While the security forces do not have such facilities. The governor of Uruzgan, however, said the clashes were ongoing and that the security forces were in high spirits. Gizab, formerly a part of Daikundi, was divided into two districts, with Gizab belonging to Uruzgan and Pato to Daikundi. Thus, in addition to Pato, this district is bordered by some other parts of Daikundi and Chora and Uruzgan Khas districts of Uruzgan province.
On Sunday, June 6th, local sources in Faryab said that the Qaisar police command and its district building had fallen to the Taliban. Fifteen people, including the district police chief, were killed during clashes in the district. In addition, 37 other soldiers were captured by the Taliban. Qaisar is bordered by Almar, Pashtun Kot and Kohistan districts in Faryab and Ghormach, Jund and Bala Murghab of Badghis. The Taliban also carried out a car bomb attack in Balkh district of Balkh province on Sunday, June 6th, destroying the district building and killing and wounding several others.
In addition to these 11 districts, the Taliban claim control of Jund in Badghis, Washir in Helmand and Farsi in Herat. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also acknowledged the escalation of the fighting in the country, saying some districts had fallen to the group. According to him, during the last month, which actually includes after May 1, about 14 districts have been captured by this group. Zabihullah Mujahid also claims the fall of Jund Badghis, Dahana Ghori of Baghlan, Farsi of Herat and Vashir of Helmand districts. According to him, in some cases the security forces have given up resistance and this has been one of the reasons for the Taliban’s dominance in these districts.
A number of district police commanders have also been killed in the fighting against the Taliban. On Sunday, June 6th, the district police chief was killed in a Taliban attack on a building in Qaisar district. In the 15th of Jawza attack on Baraka and Jalga districts, Gulbuddin Ghafouri, the commander of Baraka police, and Lotfatullah Haqbin, the commander of Jalga police, were killed. Local sources in Herat also confirmed on the June 4th that Sayed Shafiq, the police chief of Herat’s Farsi district, had been killed in a Taliban attack. Abdul Zahir Atal, the police chief of Dawlat Shah of Laghman, was also killed on May 16th after clashes with the Taliban. On the 20th of Saur, Abdul Ghafoor, the acting police chief of Ghazni district, was killed by a landmine. Juma Shah, the police chief of Sar Rawza district of Paktika, was also killed by a landmine on May 4th. It should be noted that such cases were also recorded during the year 1400.
Security forces have launched a tactical retreat to reduce civilian casualties.
As the war spreads across the country, with some districts falling and others being claimed by the Taliban, the Ministry of Defense is responding. Ruhollah Ahmadzai, a spokesman for the ministry, told 8Sobh on Sunday that the tactics of war were different; Because “retreat and advance” is normal, he said, security forces have been tactically retreating in some areas to prevent civilian casualties. According to Mr. Ahmadzai, this retreat does not mean a fall; Because the Taliban do not have such a power.
According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, the security forces need tactics to reduce civilian casualties; But this does not mean that these forces will no longer dominate those areas. He added that in the “near future”, security forces will have a stronger presence in areas where tactical retreats have taken place than before. Ruhollah Ahmadzai added that the Taliban were present in Jund, Dahana Ghori, Farsi and Washir districts using the same tactics; However, the Ministry of Defense has tactical-operational plans for it in cooperation with other institutions, and in the near future, the situation will return to normal with the relocation of security forces. He added, however, that operations were moving slowly as mines were planted and the Taliban moved into people’s homes.
Earlier, military experts had criticized the military’s withdrawal, saying it would have a negative effect on the morale of the security forces. It should be noted that Taliban violence has escalated since May 1, during which about 5,000 people were killed in the war in Afghanistan. Under the Doha agreement, the United States pledged to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by May; But Biden’s administration delayed the process for about three months. The Taliban responded by stating that the United States is responsible for the consequences. September 11 is mentioned as the time of the final withdrawal of American troops.
