BREAKING NEWS

The collapse of Afghan forces accelerated as two vital cities, Kandahar and Herat, were on the verge of falling to the Taliban.

Thursday, August 12, 2021 4:05 PM EST

With the Taliban's sudden gains in Kandahar, in the country's southern Pashtun heartland, and Herat, a vital cultural and economic hub, the insurgents appear to be nearing a complete military takeover. Only four major cities — including the capital, Kabul — remain under government control, and two of them are under siege by the Taliban.

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