Taliban takes over three more Afghan provincial capitals: Officials

Afghans stand near a burnt car inside the city of Farah, capital of Farah province, southwest Afghanistan, on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

The Taliban seized three more provincial capitals in Afghanistan and a local army headquarters in a blitz across the country's northeast, officials said on Wednesday, with the insurgents now controlling some two-thirds of the nation as the US and NATO finalise their withdrawal after its decades-long war there.

The fall of the capitals of Badakhshan and Baghlan provinces to the northeast and Farah province to the west put increasing pressure on the country's central government to stem the tide of the advance, even as it has lost a major base in Kunduz.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani rushed to Balkh province, already surrounded by Taliban-held territory, to seek help pushing back the insurgents from warlords linked to allegations of atrocities and corruption.

While Kabul itself has not been directly threatened in the advance, its stunning speed raises questions of how long the Afghan government can maintain control of
its countryside.

The multiple fronts of the battle have stretched the government's special operations forces - while regular troops have often fled the battlefield - and the violence has pushed thousands of civilians to seek safety in the capital.

The US military, which plans to complete its withdrawal by the end of the month, has conducted some airstrikes but largely has avoided involving itself in the ground campaign. The Afghan government and military did not respond to repeated requests for comment about the losses.

Afghanistan finance minister steps down

Afghanistan's acting Finance Minister Khalid Payenda has stepped down and left the country following pressure from the presidential palace, local media reported. According to sources, Payenda is not likely to return. A letter from the Ministry of Finance, referred to by the TV channel, says the minister left the country "on an official visit," Sputnik reported.

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