The Taliban on Sunday took
control of the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad, with capital Kabul now
the only major city remaining under the President Ashraf Ghani-led government’s
control. 

“We
woke up this morning to the Taliban white flags all over the city. They entered
without fighting,” AFP quoted resident Ahmad Wali as saying, his comments
confirming claims made by the Taliban on social media.

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The
collapse of Jalalabad, which was the last remaining major city  other than
capital Kabul not captured by the Taliban, leaves the government in control of
just the capital and seven other provincial capitals. 

In
just over a week, the militants have either defeated, co-opted or sent Afghan
security forces fleeing from large parts through a sweeping offensive across
the country, as US and NATO troops withdraw from Afghanistan. 

President
Ghani, who spoke to the nation for the first time on Saturday, is also slowly
running out of options to stop the offensive. Warlords he negotitated with have
surrendered to the Taliban, while the ongoing negotiations in Qatar have also failed
to yeild results. 

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Early
on Sunday, the Taliban posted photos on social media, showing them inside the
governor’s office in Nangarhar province capital Jalalabad. 

The
Associated Press quoted Abrarullah Murad, a lawmaker from the province, saying
that the city was seized by the Taliban after the elders negotiated the fall of
its government. Murad said there was no fighting involved. 

The seizure
Sunday comes amid rapid gains by the Taliban over the last week, pressuring
Afghanistan’s central government as U.S., British and Canadian forces rush
troops in to help their diplomatic staffs still there.

The fall
Saturday of Mazar-e-Sharif, the country’s fourth largest city, which Afghan
forces and two powerful former warlords had pledged to defend, hands the
insurgents control over all of northern Afghanistan.

On his speech
Saturday, Ghani vowed not to give up the “achievements” of the 20 years since
the U.S.-led invasion toppled the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks.

The U.S.
has continued holding peace talks between the government and the Taliban in
Qatar this week, and the international community has warned that a Taliban
government brought about by force would be shunned. But the insurgents appear
to have little interest in making concessions as they rack up victories on the
battlefield.