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Afghanistan
Clashes Intensify in Herat as Reinforcements Arrive
2021-08-02
[ToloNews] The government deployed more security forces to the western city of Herat
...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns...
on Sunday a day after the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
advanced closer to the central parts of the city.

Local officials said that the festivities intensified in villages in the western parts of Herat city.

Abdul Rahman Rahman, senior deputy of the Interior Ministry, also visited Herat city on Sunday and said that a large-scale operation will be launched against the Taliban in Herat.

"We have come with the security forces from Kabul and these forces have joined Herat forces. We will act as soon as possible to defend the Herat people," he said.

The festivities have been ongoing in the western parts of Herat city and Guzara and Karokh districts over the past four days.

At least 20 people were killed, including 16 security force members, and 90 people were maimed in the past four days of fighting in Herat, according to data from Herat’s regional hospital.

Local officials said that "the Taliban has suffered heavy casualties during the festivities."

Reporters for Pajhwok news agency and Salam Watandar Radio were briefly taken captive by the Taliban on the battlefield but none were maimed, according to the news hounds.

"We had a 10-meter distance from the security forces," said Storai Karimi, a Pajhwok news hound, "we were surrounded by the Taliban."

Shekib Shams, news hound of Salam Watandar also said: "It was terrible because a few bullets hit our car. When I stopped the car, I saw that four Taliban had surrounded us and told us to take the car into the road."

The news hounds said that they were freed after an hour.

Security sources said the Taliban advanced this morning in Herat city, adding that "the Taliban launched large attacks on several villages in the west of Herat city and festivities are still ongoing."

"There are festivities in Pul-e-Malan on the battlefield and the Taliban were prevented from advancing. Sometimes troops move forward and then retreat but it does not mean that the lines were broken," said Abdul Saboor Qane, provincial governor.

Colonel Mohammad Nasir Alizai, commander of a commando unit from Zafar 207 Military Corps, said: "The Taliban's war is a psychological war, and it wants to cause panic among the people. I urge the people of Herat not to lose their spirit."

Clashes in the city of Herat began their fourth day on Sunday. Clashes are underway in the southern part of Herat near Malan Bridge, which was taken over by the Taliban on Saturday.

Defense Ministry front man Fawad Aman said hundreds of reinforcements arrived in the city on Sunday morning.

Hundreds of families have been displaced from their homes in the southern parts of Herat city due to the ongoing festivities, local officials said.

Taliban attacks on the city of Herat were criticized on Saturday by some politicians and analysts who say they are a clear violation of the group's commitments to the Doha agreement.

The Taliban said that the group has made no commitment to not attack major cities.
Khaama Press adds:
The reinforcement includes nearly 150 fully equipped Afghan commandoes and will be deployed and stationed in areas where needed, said local officials.

Meanwhile,
...back at the shouting match, a new, even louder, voice was to be heard...
the Ministry of Defense on Sunday said that 66 Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
fighters were killed and 13 more maimed as a result of Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s in Enjeel district and center of Herat province.

The Facebook post of the ministry further reads that a large amount of weaponry of the Taliban has also been seized during the operations.

Last night, a special get-together was hosted by the Lower House Speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani which was aimed at discussing the overall security situation of Afghanistan and particularly that of Herat province. The meeting was attended by NSA Hamdullah Muhib, head of HCNR Abdullah Abdullah
...the former foreign minister of the Northern Alliance government, advisor to Masood, and candidate for president against both Karzai and Ghani. Dr. Abdullah was born in Kabul and is half Tadjik and half Pashtun. He also held the meaningless salaried sop position as CEO of Afghanistan, while Ghani was president...
, former vice-president Yunus Qanuni and a number of MPs.

In the meeting, Ismail Khan was offered as provincial governor of Herat province and head of the Security Council of the province. Ismail Khan, the former warlord is now fighting the Taliban in the province.

Besides, some other names were also given to be appointed as commander of national police and head of the Afghan military in Herat province.

Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin's take:
...meanwhile, the militants are already wandering the streets of Herat. Ismail Khan, whom the government is hoping for, today called on Herat residents (both men and women) to take up arms to repel the "invasion of the army of ignorance."

In the areas of Herat occupied by the Taliban, the mullahs quickly changed their shoes and are broadcasting from mosques calls for the military and police to surrender to the Taliban.

Such is the information war for the Afghani.

Herat, bordering Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
in the west of Afghanistan has witnessed heavy conflicts in the past two months and now the Taliban is controlling all but one district of the province.
Related:
Herat: 2021-07-31 Afghanistan: Heavy clashes between Taliban and government forces in Herat
Herat: 2021-07-30 No Salaam Telecom Service Nationwide Since Wednesday
Herat: 2021-07-30 Taliban Attacks Repelled in Herat City, Karokh: Officials
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