Reply To US Airstrikes: Taliban Increase Attacks On Major Cities, Targeting Kandahar And Herat

Illustration of Afghan army. (Wikimedia Commons/Spc. Theodore Schmidt)

JAKARTA - Taliban militants are changing their guerrilla attack strategy, from targeting the countryside in Afghanistan, to provincial cities in response to US airstrikes.

This was revealed by three Taliban commanders. The Taliban's escalating military campaign is aimed at defeating government forces, as the process of withdrawing US-led coalition troops is due to be completed next month.

A US regional commander said late last month it had stepped up airstrikes to counter an escalating Taliban offensive, a move condemned by the Taliban group.

Heavy fighting broke out inside the cities of Herat, near the western border with Iran, Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province in the southwest, and Kandahar in the south, in response to airstrikes.

Three Taliban commanders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were focused on capturing Herat and Kandahar, with Lashkar Gah's insight.

"Mullah Yaqoob argues that when the US doesn't live up to their commitments, why should the Taliban follow the deal?", said one of the commanders, who is based in Kandahar, referring to the group's military chief, as quoted by Reuters on Friday, August 6.

Illustration of the Taliban Army. (Wikimedia Commons/isafmedia)

"Mullah Yaqoob has decided to arrest Kandahar and Herat and now Helmand and then it could be Kunduz, Khost, or any other province", the commander continued, saying the military leader's arguments had won the group's political office.

Mullah Yaqoob in question is the eldest son of Mullah Mohammed Omar, the commander of the Afghan mujahideen, as well as the founder of the Taliban who is also the former Supreme Leader of Afghanistan.

A Taliban spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Taliban negotiator Suhail Shaheen told Reuters the group was continuing its policy of controlling rural areas and implementing Islamic Sharia there, rather than focusing on cities.

Earlier, the Taliban said they would focus on lucrative border crossings and vast rural areas, although they have surrounded and occasionally entered provincial capitals.

The Taliban have launched a major nationwide offensive since April, shortly after US President Joe Biden announced a gradual withdrawal of troops until next September, while peace talks in Doha, Qatar failed to make any substantial progress.

"Operations in Kandahar and Herat are very important to us and our priority is to seize two important airports or air bases in Kandahar and Herat," the Taliban commander in Kandahar said.

Officials and experts say they have seen signs of a change in the Taliban's strategy in the last month.

"The Taliban are pushing for provincial capitals, not only to apply pressure but to seize them", said Asfandyar Mir, a South Asia analyst at Stanford University.

Illustration of Afghans at the blast site. (Wikimedia Commons/Mirahmad Kouhnavard)

"The main evidence is the extent of their violations against these cities. The fighting is no longer confined to the periphery. This change in the Taliban's strategy has been formalized after Eid, although the Taliban forces put serious pressure on Kandahar even before Eid", he explained.

Kandahar and Herat are the second and third largest cities in Afghanistan by population. Experts say the fall of the two cities would be a major political blow to the government and potentially trigger a major realignment in favor of the Taliban.

"The capture of Kandahar means a lot to the Taliban. It is their capital and occupying that city is a huge morale boost for the Taliban. This is something they value and for Kandahar's sake, the Taliban are willing to risk international outrage", said an Asian diplomatic source with an eye on the Taliban issue.

"The fact that they are attacking (cities) is a sharp reaction to the airstrikes offered by the US. The Taliban have proven now they will not stop by controlling trading points", the Western security official said separately.

It is unclear whether US airstrikes will continue after foreign forces complete their withdrawal. A spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan and the US embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

To note, experts and officials say, for now, the Taliban are struggling to take Kabul over the provincial capital. However, they can escalate bombings and attacks to undermine public safety and morale.