Daily Times

An influential Taliban leader has asked the military commanders and the group’s officials to install their own system in districts they have overrun in recent weeks.

Briefing the United Nations Security Council on June 22 about the Taliban’s recent advances, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ms. Deborah Lyons said more than 50 of Afghanistan’s 370 districts have fallen since the beginning of May.

“Most districts that have been taken surround provincial capitals, suggesting that the Taliban are positioning themselves to try and take these capitals once foreign forces are fully withdrawn,” she said.

The UN’s envoy spoke about 50 districts captured by the Taliban in less than two months but the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Daily Times on Wednesday that the number of capturing new districts reached 94.

“We already had 61 in our control and the latest number is 155 districts, which we currently control” Mujahid said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who met US President Joe Biden in the White House on Friday, said in Washington that the government forces have retaken six districts from the Taliban.

Afghan media reports that people have taken arms against the Taliban in parts of the country after the security forces withdrew from dozens of districts without any resistance.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, known as Khalifa is the second-in-command in the Taliban hierarchy, issued instructions to the Taliban military officials on how to deal with the affairs of the captured areas.

“The former order was a military and jihadi order, now we are entering a system. That’s why it is best to keep in mind the military, defense and civilian plans for the areas where Mujahideen enter,” Haqqani said in an audio message to the Taliban military commanders.

Haqqan’s Pashto-language audio was translated in English and a transcript was posted on the Taliban’s official website.

“Our governance setup in the past was born out of necessity but now more than ever, officials have to focus on their responsibilities for the civilian population and to recognize their duties. Every district governor must retain officials for security, intelligence and municipality work,” the Taliban leader said.

“The situation was military and jihadi, but now you are entering a civilian situation. Therefore, all civilian and military officials must pay close attention to the instructions of leaders. The current situation will evolve from a military to civilian. Behave well with the general public and pay attention to civilian and official documents and properties in offices, and make sure they are not lost,” Haqqani further said.

In a latest development, the American conducted airstrikes on the Taliban positions to stop their advance that prompted the Taliban’s angry reaction.

“We condemn in strongest terms bombings by US invaders in some provinces. Such provocations open the door for a response. Invaders should focus on withdrawal, not embroil themselves in war nor prolong tragedy for Afghans,” the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Fox News reported on Friday that the United States military has launched two drone strikes against Taliban positions in northern Afghanistan.

A US defense official quoted by Fox News as saying that an unknown number of Taliban fighters were killed in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces, where the strikes took place.

The strikes came hours before President Ashraf Ghani’s meeting with US President Joe Biden on Friday in which he secured assurance for continued military and economic support after withdrawal of the American forces.

Fighting has intensified in Afghanistan in recent weeks amid a stalemate in intra-Afghan negotiations over a ceasefire and the future set-up.

Taliban have rejected calls for ceasefire and want removal of the present government of President Ashraf Ghani. The Afghan government has dismissed the Taliban demand and asked them to join the present set up.