Heavy Battles Continue in Sheberghan for 2nd Day

Heavy fighting continued in the city of Sheberghan, the capital of northern Jawzjan province, for the second day with Taliban taking over some key areas, including the provincial prison.

Taliban released a video on Saturday morning showing prisoners escaping Jawzjan prison.

Some key areas in the city remain contested for the last 24 hours. Taliban took over the provincial governor’s compound on Friday, but it was retaken by Afghan forces. However, source said that Taliban recaptured the provincial governor’s compound, the municipality building and the Jawzjan prison.

Sources said fighting has intensified in Panjsad Family in District 1 of Jawzjan city where Dostum’s house is also located.

The security forces are supported by public forces loyal to Junbish-e-Milli or the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan led by former vice president Abdul Rashid Dostum.

At least 150 members of the public uprising forces loyal to Junbish and led by Commander Ali Sarwar have newly arrived in Sheberghan to help other forces on the ground, a senior member of Junbish-e-Milli, Sayed Shamsuddin Sadat, said.

Dostum’s son Yar Mohammad Dostum is leading the public uprising forces in their fight against the Taliban in Sheberghan.

Sadat said that some special forces members have also arrived in Sheberghan.

This comes as the UN chief in Afghanistan on Friday asked the Taliban to stop attacking Afghanistan’s provincial capitals.

The group took over Zaranj city, the capital of Nimroz province, in southwestern Afghanistan on Friday that was the first province to fall to the Taliban since the announcement of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.