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Taliban seize control of Ghazni city after governor makes ‘secret deal’
A Ghazni provincial council member has confirmed that Ghazni city fell to the Taliban on Thursday morning following a “secret deal” between the Taliban and Daud Laghmani, the provincial governor.
Amanullah Kamrani, a member of the provincial council, told Ariana News that with the help of the Taliban, Laghmani fled the province and tried to reach Kabul.
Taliban fighters launched an offensive against Ghazni city early Thursday and soon seized the governor’s compound, police headquarters and provincial office of the National Directorate of Security (NDS).
A video clip on social media shows Laghmani’s convoy of vehicles driving through militant checkpoints while being escorted out of the province by Taliban.
“Ghazni province fell based on a secret deal between the governor and Taliban. Ghazni governor in coordination with Taliban escaped to Kabul,” said Kamrani.
The Afghan Ministry of Interior (MoI) confirmed that Ghazni’s governor and his deputy were arrested by police in Wardak province.
“The Ghazni governor, his deputy and other accompanying members were arrested… in Maidan Wardak province,” said Mirwais Stanekzai, spokesman for the MoI.
Military officials, meanwhile, confirmed that Taliban has seized some areas, but that the Taliban militants will be met with resistance.
“It is our commitment to people and Allah (God) that we will defend the soil and people. Afghan forces’ efforts should be praised,” said Bismillah Mohammadi, acting defense minister.
“I assure you that I will perform my job. Taliban should learn from their defeat in Kandahar. They (Taliban) have lost their commanders, we will defeat the group,” said Haibatullah Alizai, the recently appointed army chief of staff.
The Taliban has said in the past it will not attack cities, however in the past two weeks, the group has seized the Nimruz, Kunduz, Baghlan, Jawzjan, Samangan, Ghazni, Takhar, Sar-e-Pul, Badakhshan and Farah capitals.
“We have lost some areas, but people stand by us. We have power,” said Hamdullah Mohib, the national security adviser of Afghanistan.
Local sources meanwhile told Ariana News that the Taliban has launched an offensive on Ghor and Badghis capitals.
In addition to this, violence has escalated in Herat, Kandahar and Helmand provinces.
Reports indicate that the Taliban has seized a government prison in Kandahar city.
In addition sources confirmed that Yar Mohammd Dostum, son of Marshal Dostum, along with his forces, who was under Taliban siege was transferred to Balkh province.
This comes after President Ashraf Ghani said on Wednesday, during a visit to Balkh province, that the Taliban will be defeated.
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Medvedev: IEA posed less threat to Russia than western-backed groups
He added that such organisations have consistently pursued one objective: “to break apart the multiethnic people of Russia.”
Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has said that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) caused less harm to Russia than Western-backed civic organisations that, he claims, sought to undermine the country’s unity.
In an article published in the Russian journal Rodina, Medvedev wrote that while the IEA had long been designated as a terrorist organisation, its actions did not inflict the same level of damage on Russia as what he described as Western-supported institutions operating under the banner of academic or humanitarian work.
“Let us be honest: the Taliban (IEA) movement, long listed as a terrorist organisation, has caused modern Russia far less damage than all those pseudo-scientific institutions whose aim is to dismantle our country under the guise of aiding the oppressed,” Medvedev stated.
He added that such organisations have consistently pursued one objective: “to break apart the multiethnic people of Russia.”
Medvedev’s remarks come amid a shift in Russia’s official stance toward Afghanistan. In April, Russia’s Supreme Court suspended the ban on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which had previously been included on the country’s list of terrorist organisations.
The Afghan national accused of shooting two U.S. National Guard members in Washington, D.C., is facing new federal charges that could allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty, authorities said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced that Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been charged with transporting a firearm and a stolen weapon in interstate commerce with intent to commit a serious crime, Fox News reported on Wednesday. One Guard member, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, was killed in the November 26 attack, while Andrew Wolfe was seriously injured.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said moving the case from Superior Court to federal court allows for a careful review of whether the death penalty is warranted. She noted the impact on Beckstrom’s family and said Wolfe faces a lengthy recovery.
Lakanwal remains charged under D.C. law with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill and multiple firearms offenses. An FBI affidavit states the revolver used in the shooting was stolen from a Seattle home in May 2023 and later given to Lakanwal in Washington state, where he also purchased additional ammunition.
Investigators say Lakanwal searched locations in Washington, D.C., including the White House, shortly after buying the ammunition. The shooting occurred near the White House on November 26, according to court records.
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