Article

2021-08-08 Afghanistan

US State Department called on Americans to leave Afghanistan immediately

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

By Boris Rozhin

Against the backdrop of what is happening in Afghanistan, the US State Department called on all Americans to immediately leave the country using affordable commercial flights. The corresponding warning is posted on the website of the US Embassy.

The main reason is the inability to guarantee the safety of US citizens in this country in the face of the ongoing Taliban offensive.

Following the capital of the province of Nimroz, the city of Zaranj. (A video of the meeting of Taliban militants with the local population, apparently, some local satisfied with the change of power):

People in Nimroz giving a warm welcome & chanting Islamic slogans on the arrival of Taliban. pic.twitter.com/BgpeKLPeax
— Ahmad Yar (@Ahmdyarr) August 7, 2021

Today the Taliban captured the hometown of Marshal Dostum, the capital of Jowzjan province, the city of Shibargan (Taliban militants are part of Shibargan:

#BREAKING
Taliban have captured Sheberghan, provincial capital of Jowzjan Province. Pro-government forces retreated to the airport. Taliban have taken over the central prison and released 100s of prisoners. Sheberghan is the second city that was captured by Taliban in 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/2vmNz53urA
— WorldOnAlert (@worldonalert) August 7, 2021

Taliban militants also posted a video from Dostum's residence:

IEA forces inside the palace of Warlord Dostum. pic.twitter.com/D6Eo7KG9zt
— Muhammad Jalal (@MJalal700) August 6, 2021

The police headquarters and the prison were also captured (several hundred prisoners were released there). Captured a large number of small arms and ammunition:

That's an insane amount of weapons Taliban has captured from just one location in the Sheberghan city of Jawzjan province today. pic.twitter.com/mQOeWGWJRy
— Zoya 🚨 (@Zoya_nafidi) August 7, 2021

Taliban propaganda claims that Dostum fled in a cowardly way, but the Taliban will never forget how Dostum broke his word in 2001 and in fact handed over several hundred Taliban prisoners to an extrajudicial execution. In general, the history of blood feud is classic for these places. Dostum will clearly not fit into the "beautiful Afghanistan of the future", unless, of course, he can build some kind of remake of the "Northern Alliance" and provide active resistance to the Taliban in order to force them to reckon with.

It is also worth noting that the Taliban have fortified their positions near the border with Turkmenistan, which is already conducting military exercises near the border. Just in case.

One of Ismail Khan's militants in Herat. "Uncle Yusuf," 70 years old. Fighting since the early 80s. This is the third time he has fought against the Taliban.

According to local sources, the military and police retreated to the Shibargan airfield after a week of fighting. Thus, in a day, the Taliban captured 2 provincial capitals at once. Herat and Lashkargah are holding out for now.

In Herat, Ismail Khan's fighters were able to drive Taliban fighters into the suburbs.

It is also noted that in Zaranj, the Taliban drove en masse on American Humvees through the streets of Zaranj , which he captured several hundred pieces in recent months, which of course adds color to the surrealism of what is happening:

Taliban using #US tax payers money to conquer #Afghanistan ! pic.twitter.com/UuUIyqMQnK
— Su-57 5th Gen Fighter (@5thSu) August 7, 2021

It is also worth noting that the Afghan military and police who fled from Zaranj to Iran were taken back to Afghanistan by military transport planes (delivered on flights to Kabul to continue fighting on other fronts), though without part of the heavy weapons - he was interned in Iran.

Marshal Dostum held an emergency meeting with the Afghan President today to discuss the deteriorating situation. Dostum's son is now taking an active part in organizing resistance to the Taliban in the northern regions of the country.

The situation for the government is getting worse weekly.

Among other things:

1. The Taliban have officially declared that they will not allow any country to use the territory of Afghanistan to threaten China. In general, they really want to please the Chinese comrades. As they say, just admit us. China, nevertheless, is in no hurry with official recognition and continues to observe the course of events. Recognition is highly unlikely to happen while Ashraf Ghani's government is in Kabul.

Pakistani propaganda positioning Pakistan and China as the main guarantors of peace in Afghanistan. Along the way, Pakistanis criticize India's attempts to get involved in Afghan affairs. India, in turn, supports the accusations of the Ghani government against Pakistan, which, according to Kabul, is the main sponsor of the Taliban offensive.

Pakistani claims that this is slander and Pakistan's ability to influence the Taliban is limited. In this case, Pakistan is of course disingenuous, although its current relationship with the Taliban is far from simple.

2. Biden ordered the use of B-52 bombers from bases in the Middle East to strike at Taliban forces that are storming provincial centers in Afghanistan. It is also supposed to use warships in strikes against the Taliban. The Pentagon believes that concentrated air and naval strikes will help weaken the Taliban's pressure on large cities like Herat or Kandahar.

3. At the beginning of August 2021, the real combat readiness of the Afghan Air Force is about 60% due to heavy wear and tear of equipment and a lack of components, which leads to delays in the repair of aircraft and helicopters, as well as cannibalization of the material part.

There is also a high overfatigue of the personnel due to systematic combat missions to support the troops - there are simply not enough pilots and an increased load falls on the existing ones. Hence the dependence on aid from the US Air Force.

Boris Rozhin is a Russian military journalist

Posted by badanov 2021-08-08 00:00|| || Front Page|| [10 views ] Top

#1 if you have to be told that, then Darwin needs to take hold at some point.

Posted by Chris 2021-08-08 00:08|| 2021-08-08 00:08|| Front Page Top

#2 Massive blood bath coming.

Posted by Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589 2021-08-08 00:15|| 2021-08-08 00:15|| Front Page Top

#3 And what has Washington learned from all of this ?

Posted by Besoeker 2021-08-08 01:22|| 2021-08-08 01:22|| Front Page Top

#4 And what has Washington learned from all of this?

"We didn't do enough to advance LGBTQ causes in Afghanistan."?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2021-08-08 02:08|| 2021-08-08 02:08|| Front Page Top

#5
Get on them planes, before all seats are taken. By Afghans! Coz' then you'll be taken. By Afghans!

Oh dear, what are we doing, does anybody have a friggin' clue?

Posted by Dron66046 2021-08-08 02:26|| 2021-08-08 02:26|| Front Page Top

#6 Some uber lefty conflict tourist trustifarian idiot will be grabbed. Then Joe will grab America's metaphorical ankles to get that person released. Probably trade The 9/11 conspirators at GITMO for someone we are better off without. And the lefty press (but I repeat myself) will swoon with affection for Joe.

Posted by M. Murcek 2021-08-08 09:26|| 2021-08-08 09:26|| Front Page Top

#7 Strong horse, weak horse, all that.

Posted by Tom 2021-08-08 13:18|| 2021-08-08 13:18|| Front Page Top