Taliban capture another provincial capital, several Afghan soldiers surrender near Kunduz

Reports said hundreds of Afghan soldiers surrendered to Taliban in Kunduz as the militant group seized the ninth provincial capital in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Faizabad became the latest city to fall to the Taliban as Afghan troops continue to be pushed back. US President Joe Biden had declared last month that all US troops will be out of Afghanistan by August 31, which is just days away.

"I do not regret my decision" the US president said on Tuesday as the militant group swept a number of provincial capitals in a blistering onslaught. 

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Farah city and  Pul-e-Khumri in Baghlan had fallen to the Taliban earlier as the militant group confirmed the reports. Six provincial capitals have fallen in the north. The Taliban had begun its offensive in mid-May as US troops began to pull out of the region. 

The militant group had initially captured rural areas in the north and south including border crossing along Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan. In the past two weeks, the militant group has attacked provincial capitals as the Afghan government troops have been leaving the areas.

Heavy fighting is carrying on in Kandahar and Helmand between the Taliban and government troops even as US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Qatar to ensure a ceasefire.

The country has been witnessing a refugee crisis as civilians have rapidly left the area as the Taliban has advanced. According to  UN's International Organization for Migration over 359,000 people have been displaced so far due to the fighting.

The Taliban had captured Kunduz last week as the militant group declared its forces were headed towards Mazar-e-Sharif as India pulled out 50 nationals from the area.

(With inputs from Agencies)