In an interview with the Associated Press, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the group will not cease combat until Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is removed and a new negotiated government is installed. The group has rapidly seized territory in recent weeks as U.S. forces complete their departure.
Afghanistan: The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill (TOLOnews) to allow eight thousand extra visas for Afghans who aided the U.S. mission and are at risk for retaliation amid the U.S. withdrawal. The bill now heads to the Senate.
In Foreign Affairs, the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Seth G. Jones explains how the United States can prevent a complete Taliban victory.
