Taliban captures Afghanistan's Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand: Police official

The Taliban has captured Afghanistan's Lashkar Gah, capital of the southern province of Helmand,a police official said on Friday. According to reports, the government and senior armed forces officials flew by helicopter out of the government's last stronghold in the town at about midnight on Thursday, said the official, who declined to be identified.

Earlier, it has captured Afghanistan's second biggest city of Kandahar, officials said on Friday, fuelling fears the U.S.-backed government could fall to the insurgents as international forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war.

On Thursday, the Taliban also seized the historic central city of Ghazni, 150 km (90 miles) southwest of Kabul.


Earlier, US President Joe Biden said week he did not regret his decision, noting Washington has spent more than $1 trillion in America's longest war and lost thousands of troops.

In response to the Taliban advances the Pentagon said it would send about 3,000 extra troops within 48 hours to help evacuate U.S. embassy staff.

Britain said it would deploy about 600 troops to help its citizens leave while other embassies and aid groups said they too were getting their people out.

The Taliban had until recent days focused their offensive on the north, a region they never fully controlled during their rule and the heartland of Northern Alliance forces who marched into Kabul with U.S. support in 2001.

With inputs from Reuters