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August 9, 2021

Taliban Seize 5 Afghan Cities as War Threatens to Claim Even More Lives
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In Afghanistan, the Taliban has seized control of five cities since
Friday as they continue their relentless offensive. Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul
and Taloqan were the latest provincial capitals to fall to the Taliban
on Sunday, as the militant group also makes advances in the major cities
of Kandahar and Lashkar Gah. The Biden administration reportedly has no
plans to change its deadline of August 31 to complete the U.S.
withdrawal, though it previously did not rule out continuing airstrikes
beyond that date. On Friday, Taliban fighters assassinated the
government's top media and information official in Kabul. Meanwhile, the
U.N. special envoy for Afghanistan said more than 1,000 civilians were
killed over the past month and that the war has now entered a "deadlier
and more destructive phase."

Deborah Lyons: "This is now a different kind of war, reminiscent of
Syria recently or Sarajevo in the not-so-distant past. To attack urban
areas is to knowingly inflict enormous harm and cause massive civilian
casualties."

At least 244,000 people in Afghanistan have also been internally
displaced since the Taliban offensive started in May.


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