Timeline: Taliban’s Rapid Advance Across Afghanistan

A look at the armed group’s significant milestones as it renews its push to capture major cities across the war-torn country.

In three months, the Taliban has more than doubled its territory.

The Taliban has taken control of Qalat, Terenkot, Pul-e Alam, Feruz Koh, Qala-e Naw and Lashkar Gah, raising the number of captured Afghan provincial capitals to 17.

The armed group has made rapid advances since launching its offensive in May while troops from the United States and NATO nations leave the war-torn country after 20 years.

The offensive comes as talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government on a political understanding to lead to a peace deal, backed by the US and its allies, have failed to make significant progress.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of some of the group’s major milestones and advances in recent months:

April 14: Biden announces plan for US troop withdrawal

President Joe Biden announces US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan starting from May 1 and ending on September 11, bringing the US’s longest war to a close. It was an extension of the previous withdrawal deadline of May 1 agreed between the US and the Taliban.

May 4: Taliban launches offensive

Taliban fighters launch a major offensive on Afghan forces in southern Helmand province. They also attack in at least six other provinces.

May 11: Taliban captures Nerkh

The Taliban captures Nerkh district just outside the capital Kabul as violence intensifies across the country.

June 7: More than 150 Afghan soldiers killed

Senior government officials say more than 150 Afghan soldiers are killed in 24 hours as fighting worsens. They add that fighting is raging in 26 of the country’s 34 provinces.

June 22: Series of attacks in northern Afghanistan
Taliban fighters launch a series of attacks in the north of the country, far from their traditional strongholds in the south, and the UN envoy for Afghanistan says they have taken more than 50 of 370 districts.

July 2: Sudden US troop withdrawal from Bagram base

American troops quietly pull out of their main military base in Afghanistan, the Bagram airbase, an hour’s drive from Kabul.

The withdrawal effectively ends the US involvement in the Afghanistan war.

July 5: Taliban says working on a peace plan

The Taliban says it could present a written peace proposal to the Afghan government as soon as August.

July 21: Taliban controls half of Afghanistan’s districts

The Taliban gains control of about half of the country’s districts, according to the senior US general, underlining the scale and speed of their advance.

July 26: US promises continued support to Afghan Govt

The US promised to continue to support Afghan troops “in the coming weeks” with intensified air attacks to help them counter Taliban attacks.

July 26: Afghan civilian death toll rises

The United Nations says nearly 2,400 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in May and June in escalating violence, the highest number for those months since records started in 2009.

August 6: Taliban seizes Zaranj, other provinces
Zaranj, August 6: The Taliban take over the capital of Nimruz province in the south, the first provincial capital to fall to the group since it stepped up attacks on Afghan forces in early May.

Sheberghan, August 7:

The Taliban declare they have captured the entire northern province of Jawzjan, including its capital Sheberghan.

Heavy fighting is reported in the city, and government buildings are taken over by the Taliban. Afghan security forces say they are still fighting there.

Sar-e-Pul, August 8:
The Taliban take control of Sar-e-Pul, capital of the eponymous northern province. It is the first of three provincial centres that fell on the same day.

Kunduz, August 8:
Taliban fighters seize control of the northern city of 270,000 people, regarded as a strategic prize as it lies at the gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia.

Government forces say they are resisting the Taliban from an army base and the airport.

Taluqan, August 8:
The capital of Takhar province, also in the north, falls to the Taliban in the evening. They freed prisoners and force government officials to flee.

Aybak, August 9:
The capital of the northern province of Samangan is overrun by Taliban fighters.

Farah, August 10:
Local sources confirmed the fall of the capital of the western province of the same name.

Pul-e-Khumri, August 10:
The capital of the central province of Baghlan falls to the Taliban, according to officials and residents.

Faizabad, August 11:
The capital of the northeastern province of Badakhshan is under Taliban control, a provincial council member says.

Ghazni, August 12:
The capital of the southeastern province of Ghazni is seized and all local government officials flee to Kabul.

Herat, August 12:
The capital of Herat province in the west of the country, the third-largest city, has fallen to the Taliban after two weeks of fighting.

Kandahar, August 12:
The capital of the southern province of Kandahar is under the armed group’s control.

Lashkar Gah, August 13:
The capital of Helmand province in the south is taken over by the Taliban.

Qala-e Naw, August 13: The capital of the western Badghis province is captured.

Feruz Koh, August 13:
Taliban fighters takes control of Feruz Koh city in Afghanistan’s western province of Ghor without any fighting.

Pul-e Alam, August 13:
The Taliban seizes the capital of the central province of Logar and captures the governor and the head of the city’s spy agency.

Terakot, August 13:
The capital of the southern Uruzgan province is captured and the governor escapes to Kabul.

Qalat, August 13:
The capital of Zabul province in Afghanistan’s south, becomes the 18th city taken over by the Taliban.

Jalalabad, August 15:
An Afghan lawmaker and the Taliban say the militants have seized Jalalabad, cutting off Kabul to the east.

Amid the Taliban’s rapid gains, U.S., British and Canadian forces are rushing troops in to help their diplomatic staffs withdraw.

Khost, Wardak, Kapisa, Bamyan, Parwan; August 15:
The Taliban took control of Wardak, Khost, Kapisa, and Bamyan provinces. Only 4 provinces remain (still haven’t seen confirmation of Nuristan). It is only a matter of the government surrendering or fighting for Kabul.