The crisis in Afghanistan

The situation in the country collapsed after the withdrawal of international troops, which began on 1 May and was already 95% completed, well before the official 11 September deadline. In recent months rebels took control of dozens of rural districts and then launched attacks on the country’s principal cities. 11 August: the Taliban conquer the city of Faizabad in northern Afghanistan. It is the ninth provincial capital to fall into the hands of the insurgents in less than a week. 13 August: the city of Ghazni, in the province of the same name in south-eastern Afghanistan, also falls. It is just the precursor to the attack that will lead to the conquest of another key city: Herat. 15 August: Kabul falls. The Taleban seize possession of the capital without a fight. President Ghani is in flight, along with thousands of people. As ...