Aug 2, 2021: The Afghan military says three provinces in southern and western Afghanistan are facing “critical” security conditions as fighting between the Taliban and Afghan army intensifies.

Fighting has escalated in the war-torn South Asian country as US and NATO troops plan to complete their withdrawal by August 31 after the so called “un-winnable” 20-year war.

The Taliban are trying to seize larger Afghan provincial capitals after seizing small administrative districts in recent months.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is expected to address parliament soon as fighting against Taliban forces continues across the country.

Afghan Army spokesman General Ajmal Omar Shinwari said Sunday that the situation was particularly serious in Lashkar Gah, Helmand, where the army was planning to block the Taliban’s movement and attack later.

In Helmand, provincial officials said the Taliban had augmented their forces in Lashkar Gah on Sunday, confirming that the group now controlled the city’s seventh District. The Taliban’s birthplace in southern Kandahar, as well as Helmand and Herat provinces, has been the center of some fighting.

Administration officials and informed sources say the State Department will announce a new program to resettle some Afghans as refugees in the United States.

All the sources close to the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said that the administration of US President Joe Biden would launch the so-called priority Two Refugee program on Monday to relocate those Afghans who worked for the US administration as interpreters and contractors during the past 2 decades.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the program for Afghan resettlment.

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