Afghan Government officials have dismissed as propaganda claims by Taliban officials that the insurgent group had captured 85 percent of territory in Afghanistan, amid US troop withdrawal from the war-torn country.
Torghundi, a northern town on the border with Turkmenistan, had also been captured by the Taliban overnight, Afghan security officials said as per the publication.
Hundreds of Afghan security personnel and refugees continued to flee across the border into neighboring Iran and Tajikistan, causing concern in Moscow and other foreign capitals that radical groups could possibly infiltrate Central Asia.
In Moscow, a delegation of Taliban officials said they controlled about 250 of Afghanistan's nearly 400 districts- a claim impossible to independently verify, and disputed by the Government.
Herat governor spokesman Jilani Farhad said the authorities were preparing to deploy new troops to retake Islam Qala Port, the biggest trade crossing between Iran and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden on Thursday made it clear that rebuilding Afghanistan was not the responsibility of the US and urged Afghan leaders to gather together to lead the country towards a better future.
President Biden also stated that the US military mission will continue till the end of August and American's objectives to prevent a base against American interest and dragging Bin Laden from his safe haven was accomplished, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.
Addressing a press conference after a US security brief, Biden said, “I will not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan with no reasonable expectation of achieving a different outcome”.
US forces are scheduled to leave Afghanistan by August 31 after nearly 20 years of war with Taliban. Meanwhile, Chinese companies have invested in Afghan mining and infrastructure, but those assets appear increasingly in jeopardy as the Taliban seize large amounts of territory, possibly placing Kabul at risk.
The Global Times newspaper published by the ruling Communist government of China, on Friday reported that the China sent a Xiamen Airlines flight to Kabul in order to bring home its 210 nationals, in the wake of worsening situation in Afghanistan.
China seems to be looking forward to invest heavily in the infrastructure in war-torn Afghanistan to fulfill its greed and ambitious Belt and Road Initiative Project further in South Asia.
Source: https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/taliban-claim-they-control-85-pc-afghanistan-govt-officials-say-it-is-propaganda20210710150030
