Sources said Saturday that the control of 13 districts – 11 districts in northeastern Afghanistan, one in the east and one in the south – have fallen to the Taliban in the last 24 hours, the highest number of areas falling to the group in a day.  

The districts include Kishm, Darayim, Tishkan, Tagab, Wardooj, Shahr-e-Bozorg, Raghistan, Jorm and Yaftal in Badakhshan, Kalafgan and Farkhar districts in Takhar, Zurmat district in Paktia and Shah Wali Kot district in the southern province of Kandahar.  

In Badakhshan, three other districts – Yumgan, Arghanjkwah and Khash – recently fell to the Taliban.   

Some residents of Faizabad city, the center of Badakhshan province, said that clashes between security forces and the Taliban have reached closer to the city, leaving the people with concerns about their safety.  

“This is the 10th district that collapses one after another. The local government and the central government have forgotten them and are not paying attention to them,” said Saed Hayatullah, a resident of Faizabad.  

Amidst concerning situation in Faizabad, the police chief of Badakhshan, Khalil-ur-Rahman Jawad is under treatment in Kabul as he has tested positive for COVID-19.   

“What we should do is to mobilize the elders of the ‘resistance region’ and create history for the second time by the second generation of the resistance,” said Nilofar Ibrahimi, an MP from Badakhshan.  

“They are faced with lack of logistics. The Air Force cannot address all areas. This is concerning,” said Sayed Muqaddam Amin, a former military officer.  

Meanwhile, sources from Takhar said that with the fall of Kalafgan and Farkhar districts, only Taluqan city and Worsaj districts have remained under government control in the province.  

“We have 16 administrative units. All collapsed one after another. The security situation in Taluqan is sensitive,” said Abdul Kabir, a resident of Taluqan.  

“People are worried in Taluqan. There are displaced people on Taluqan’s streets and people are in a difficult situation,” said Mohammad Azam Afzali, member of Takhar provincial council. 

But the Ministry of Defense said that 224 Taliban were killed in government forces operations in nine provinces in the last 24 hours. The ministry said that efforts will be made to retake the areas that have fallen to militants.  

“The security and defense forces of Afghanistan will not spare any efforts,” said Fawad Aman, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense.  

Taliban attacks have increased after the start of the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan. On Friday, the US forces left Bagram Airfield, which was the largest military base for American troops in the country.