Taliban Increases Pressure on Zherai District in Kandahar

The Taliban increased their pressure on Zherai district in Kandahar after taking control of the strategic district of Panjwai on Saturday, raising concerns in Kandahar city.

Panjwai fell to the Taliban after being under siege for a week. Local officials said that hundreds of families have been displaced due to the conflicts in Zherai and Panjwai districts.

“We have left everything at our homes. We have come here (to the city of Kandahar) with our family members only,” said Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Kandahar.

“No one is paying attention to the people–neither the Taliban nor the government. We don’t know who we should take our complaints to,” said Ahmad Shah, a resident of Kandahar.

The provincial council of Kandahar said they are concerned about an increase in the Taliban’s influence in the southern province.

“Anyone who has been killed or wounded in the clashes is Afghan,” said Sayed Jan Khakrizwal, head of the Kandahar provincial council.

The security situation in the city of Qalat, in Zabul, which shares a border with Kandahar, is raising fears among locals; however, security forces said Taliban attacks have been pushed back in the province.

“They attacked some outposts on the outskirts of Qalat city, but they were responded to quickly and 25 of the enemy was killed and 21 more were wounded. The enemy also wanted to conduct a suicide car bomb attack on one of our facilities, but it was also thwarted. We assure you that Zabul will not face any problems,” said Sayed Baba Mansoori, the commander of the second regiment of 205 Atal Corps.

So far, six districts in Kandahar have fallen to the Taliban. Maroof, Maiwand, Arghistan have fallen in recent days.