Battle rages for provincial capital

Plumes of smoke billowed over an Afghan provincial capital yesterday as fighting raged between the Taliban and government forces for a second straight day. 

The government flew hundreds of commandos into Qala-i-Naw, in northwestern Badghis province, the first regional capital to face an all-out assault by the Taliban since the United States stepped up its troop withdrawal.

With the US pullout "90 percent complete", according to the Pentagon, the insurgents have launched a blistering campaign to capture new territory, and fears are mounting that Afghan forces will collapse without vital American air support.

In London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said most British troops had now left Afghanistan as part of a Nato withdrawal in parallel to the US pullout.

US President Joe Biden was due to speak on the US pullout later in the day after meeting his national security team.

The withdrawals have drastically emboldened the Taliban, and video obtained by AFP showed thick smoke billowing over Qala-i-Naw yesterday, soundtracked by gunfire, as fighting raged.

On Wednesday, the Taliban briefly seized the police headquarters and the local office of the country's spy agency, but were later pushed back.

The attack on Qala-i-Naw comes as the Taliban carry out a blistering campaign across the country but mostly in the north, capturing dozens of districts since early May.

Rights group Human Rights Watch said the insurgents were forcing people from their houses in northern areas that they had captured.

"The Taliban's retaliatory attacks against civilians deemed to have supported the government are an ominous warning about the risk of future atrocities," said HRW associate director Patricia Gossman.

Meanwhile a meeting between Afghan government and Taliban in Tehran ended yesterday, Iran's state news agency said, with both sides urging an end to fighting, and more talks.