Taliban 'storm last stronghold'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.AFGHANISTAN'S TALIBAN militia claimed yesterday to have captured one of the last opposition strongholds, the Shia Muslim Bamyan province, in the mountainous central region of the country. Its fall will alarm Iran, which said at the weekend that it was sending thousands of extra troops to the Afghan-Iran border, where 80,000 are already participating in "military exercises".
Taliban sources said a three-pronged attack won control of the province, with its crucial airstrip. Fighting was said to have been fierce, with a senior Taliban commander among the casualties. The Islamic militiareportedly bribed at least one opposition commander into switching sides.
How the Iranians will react to the defeat of their allies, if confirmed, is difficult to predict. It may provoke them into swift military action to prevent more Taliban success. If Bamyan has fallen, only the north- east of the country, including the Panjshir valley stronghold of the veteran commander Ahmed Shah Masood, is in opposition hands. For years Iran, a largely Shia Muslim country, has supported the Hezb-i-Wahdat against the largely Sunni Muslim Taliban.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments