The Taliban took control of the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad early Sunday, effectively leaving the capital Kabul as the last major urban area under government control.
“We woke up this morning to the Taliban white flags all over the city. They entered without fighting,” said resident Ahmad Wali, confirming a claim on social media made by the Taliban.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has ordered the deployment of 5,000 troops to the war-ravaged country to ensure an orderly and safe drawdown of American personnel.
Biden said this after he and Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday held a secure video conference with the national security team to discuss the ongoing efforts to drawdown American civilian footprint in Afghanistan, evacuate SIV applicants, and monitor the evolving security situation.
According to a defense official, while 1,000 US troops are already in Afghanistan, another 3,000 were ordered last week.
On Saturday, the President ordered another 1,000 thus bringing the total to 5,000.