Heavy clashes in W. Afghanistan city as major Taliban offensive kicks off

The Taliban has launched a major offensive to capture a city in western Afghanistan, with heavy fighting breaking out in the area, officials say. Local residents fear the whole province may fall to the insurgents.

The Taliban has launched a major offensive to capture a city in western Afghanistan, with heavy fighting breaking out in the area, officials say. Local residents fear the whole province may fall to the insurgents.

Taliban militants stormed the city of Farah, the capital of Farah Province on the border with Iran on Tuesday morning, Afghan media initially reported. The fighters launched the attacks from four directions on the city, which has over 50,000 residents.

The “clashes are ongoing in several parts of the city and close to National Directorate of Security (NDS) department,” a member of the provincial council, Dadullah Qane, said, as cited by TOLOnews. 

“The Taliban are moving very fast, if the government does not take serious and speedy action, the province is going to collapse to Taliban,” local resident Hamidullah said.

The Afghan authorities have long struggled to gain control of the isolated region, as Taliban fighters have repeatedly launched offensives on the Farah province.