Taliban captures second provincial capital in two days as fighting intensifies

The capital of Jawzjan province in northern Afghanistan fell to the Taliban after week-long violent clashes with the government forces, TOLO News reported on Saturday.

The Afghan news agency reported that the strategic city of Sheberghan is the second provincial capital to fall to the Taliban in the last two days.

Local lawmakers blamed the Afghan government for the security situation in Jawzjan and said it has remained indifferent to this matter. This comes as 150 members of the public uprising forces have newly arrived in Sheberghan to help other forces on the ground, media reports said on Friday.

On Friday, the Taliban captured the capital of Nimroz province in southwestern Afghanistan. Zaranj fell to the Taliban with no resistance by government forces, TOLO reported.

At the UNSC meeting on Afghanistan on Friday, member states expressed concern at the deteriorating situation and called for a political settlement.

Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Deborah Lyons, in her address, questioned the Taliban's commitment to peace negotiations and cautioned that the war had now entered a 'deadlier and more destructive' phase, with over 1,000 civilians killed during the past month on account of Taliban offensives.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Ghulam M Isaczai said that the Taliban is receiving assistance from foreign fighters of transnational terrorist networks while committing "barbaric" acts in the war-torn country.

"In a deliberate act of barbarism Taliban isn't alone. They're assisted by foreign fighters from transnational terrorist networks. Together they are threatening peace, security and stability in Afghanistan and also in our region and beyond," Isaczai said.

( With inputs from ANI )

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