Show an ad over header. AMP

I am the FIRST!!!

Mapped: The Afghan capitals that the Taliban have captured

Data: Al Jazeera; Map: Axios Visuals

The Taliban have captured half of Afghanistan's provincial capitals over the last week, with the insurgents showing no signs of slowing their lightning offensive as they threaten to isolate Kabul and topple the Afghan government.

The latest: The Taliban on Friday swept through the capitals of Ghor (Chaghcharan) and Helmand (Lashkar Gah), the latter of which was at the center of operations by U.S., British and NATO troops over the last 20 years.


  • The militants also captured the capitals of Uruzgan province (Tirin Kot) and Zabul (Qalat) in the south overnight.
  • On Thursday, the Taliban took the second- and third-largest cities in Afghanistan — Kandahar and Herat, respectively — as well as Ghazni, which is less than 100 miles from Kabul. Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban movement, delivering the insurgents a massive symbolic victory.
  • The U.S. announced Thursday that it will shrink down to a "core diplomatic presence" in Kabul due to the deteriorating security situation, and will send 3,000 troops to the city's international airport to assist in an evacuation effort.

Go deeper: Behind the scenes of the Biden administration as the U.S. ditches Kabul

This story and map will be updated if more capitals are captured.

regular 4 post ff

infinite scroll 4 pff

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dies at age 88

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has died at the age of 88, his family said Wednesday.

The big picture: Rumsfeld served as defense secretary under Presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush.

Keep reading...Show less

AOC urges U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to end Sha'Carri Richardson's suspension

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) sent a letter to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency encouraging the group to rethink sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson's one-month suspension for recreational marijuana use.

What they're saying: "We urge you to reconsider the policies that led to this and other suspensions for recreational marijuana use, and to reconsider Ms. Richardson’s suspension. Please strike a blow for civil liberties and civil rights by reversing this course you are on," Ocasio-Cortez and Raskin said.

Keep reading...Show less

Biden: "We can't wait any longer to deal with climate crisis"

President Biden urged immediate actions on climate change on Wednesday, saying "[w]e can't wait any longer to deal with climate crisis" during an event promoting his Build Back Better agenda

Driving the news: The U.S. is currently facing an extreme heat wave and heavy wildfires in the West, a deadly drought and the the earliest fifth-named Atlantic tropical storm on record currently going through the Southeast.

Keep reading...Show less

Insights

mail-copy

Get Goodhumans in your inbox

Most Read

More Stories
<!ENTITY lol2 “&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;“> <!ENTITY lol3 “&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;“> <!ENTITY lol4 “&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;“> ]> &lol4;