Taliban capture capital city of Paktika province

Kabul, Aug 14 (EFE).- The Taliban on Saturday morning captured Sharana, the capital of southeast Afghanistan’s Paktika province, after local officials and security forces evacuated the city following a deal with the insurgents, an official told Efe.

“Officials have evacuated the governor’s house and police headquarters, and the Taliban entered the city,” said Khalid Asad, the representative of Paktika province in the lower house of Parliament.

He said the city was handed over to the Taliban peacefully without even “a bullet being fired.”

Government officials and security forces evacuated the city after striking a surrender “deal mediated by local elders between officials and the Taliban,” he added.

“Mujahideens of the Islamic Emirate (as the Taliban address themselves) entered the Sharana city of Paktika. All defensive checkposts of the city were conquered,” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, wrote on his Twitter account.

“The enemy is under siege in the governor house and police headquarters. Mujahideens have sent the enemy the surrender message to use this opportunity and save their lives,” he added.

Sharana is the 19th provincial capital to fall to the Taliban in the past nine days as the militants continue their biggest offensive against the country’s major cities.

In the past three months, the Taliban have captured more than 140 districts across the country as well as almost 10 border crossings. EFE

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