Taliban claims to have taken control of more than half of Afghanistan

Taliban officials claim to have taken control of more than half of Afghanistan from the government. Their targets: cities, airports and border crossings – with civilians often caught in the middle.

Officials in Kandahar said that two children were among the dead when a mortar shell hit a taxi today.

Many hope to leave the country, but are being forced to stay and make impossible choices.

—

Following this report, a Government spokesperson said:

“Nobody’s life should be put at risk because they supported the UK Government in Afghanistan.

“Our Afghan relocation policy is one of the most generous in the world and has already supported over 2300 former Afghan staff and their families to start new lives in the UK, with 1,000 of them arriving over the last few weeks alone. As we continue to significantly accelerate the pace of relocations, hundreds more will follow.”