Taliban captures southern Afghanistan’s Lashkar Gah city

The Taliban has captured the key city of Lashkar Gah in southern Afghanistan, a day after the group claimed control over Kandahar and Herat, the country’s second and third largest cities, two officials have confirmed.

Military and government officials had evacuated the city after striking a deal with the group, the security source said.

Meanwhile, the United States and Britain say they would send thousands of troops to help evacuate their embassy staff in the war-torn nation.

In Qatar, international envoys to Afghan negotiations have called for an accelerated peace process as a “matter of great urgency” and for an immediate halt to attacks on cities.

Residents in the city of Kandahar have confirmed to Al Jazeera that Afghanistan’s second-largest city has fallen to the Taliban: the 12th provincial capital the armed group has overrun in a week.

Early on Friday morning, residents said the armed group’s black-on-white flag was hanging by the provincial governor’s compound.

Source: Al Jazeera