On Tuesday, the Taliban broke into the Badghis provincial jail and freed those inside, said Mirwais, a police officer in Qala-i-Naw who like many Afghans goes by one name. Taliban attacks on provincial capitals are prohibited under the deal on troop withdrawal that the United States signed with the insurgent group last year. But in some cases, local Taliban commanders have taken advantage of their gains and attacked some cities. It is unclear, however, if the Taliban will try and hold the city outright. On Tuesday, Taliban fighters ambushed a large convoy of Afghan security forces on their way to Qala-i-Nau, killing dozens.

Source: International New York Times July 07, 2021 12:11 UTC