Taliban captures Aibak city, provincial capital of Samangan Province

Asif Azimi, former Senator and governor for Samangan has surrendered to the Taliban along with his 150 fighters, according to local media reports.

Aibak has been the 6th city and provincial capital to fall to the Taliban in 4 days.

The ongoing military offensive by the Taliban against the government of Afghanistan and its allies began on 1 May 2021, simultaneous with the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

As of 15 July, over a third of Afghanistan's 421 districts were controlled by the Taliban, and by 21 July, half of Afghanistan was under Taliban control. On 6–9 August, the Taliban captured six provincial capitals including Kunduz. (ILKHA)