Thread by @AJEnglish

“They literally sold us out, there was no government resistance.”

Afghans in Herat and Kandahar express shock and anger at the swift fall of their cities to the Taliban aje.io/xwtfsj

Taliban launches multi-pronged assault on Mazar-i-Sharif as it resumes a rapid offensive to capture more cities and provinces across the country.

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“The message from the international community to those on the warpath must be clear: seizing power through military force is a losing proposition.”

- Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general ⤵️ aje.io/fdyfgm

BREAKING: Afghan President Ghani vows to fight Taliban offensive aje.io/fh8u8h

Transition to different government still a possibility:

“This is something that the Afghan government proposed a few days ago ... this solution could end the current violence” - Victoria Fontan, American University of Afghanistan.

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President Ashraf Ghani said remobilising the Afghan National Security Forces was a “top priority” and he would find ways to help the thousands of people displaced by fighting ⤵️ aje.io/q4f2zx

President Ghani no longer ‘in control’, says analyst:

“It’s not about President Ghani anymore, it’s about making the transition as bloodlessly, as orderly and as swiftly as possible,” says Haroun Rahimi, a law professor.

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Taliban captures key city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the country’s fourth largest city, giving the group control over all northern Afghanistan.

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