Afghan Taliban have reached suburbs of Kabul, patrolling unchallenged
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TEHRAN – While the US-led attacks have failed to curb the activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, new reports suggest that the Taliban have increased their presence in rural areas near capital Kabul, to the extent that even the security forces do not dare to patrol those areas. <link> <link> link> [image: Taliban Expanding Presence near Kabul] <link>
Amid growing criticism about the Afghan government’s handling of security problems, the rising number of foreign forces, and the failure of American-led aerial strikes to counter the anti-government groups, local sources say the Taliban have managed to control large areas in Qarabagh district, only 30 kilometers north of the capital.
Ariana News quoted local residents and security forces as saying that the Taliban have even set up desert courts in the villages of Qarabagh.
Witnesses complain that the government forces cannot patrol most parts of the district even during the daytime.
Confirming the presence and activities of the Taliban in Qarabagh, district governor Mohammad Azim has said, “Small groups of two to three-member (from Taliban) are active and mostly being involved in mine planting activities in the district.”
The situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated noticeably in recent months. The Taliban, which had previously seized considerable territory in rural areas of the country, has launched offensives against large cities. Additionally, the influence of the Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group has increased in the country.
Afghanistan is in a state of political and social turmoil, with government security forces fighting the Taliban. The instability has persisted in the country since the US launched a military operation in 2001 to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks.
