As Taliban Dramatically Expands Territorial Gains, US Suggests Slower Afghan Pullout

ISLAMABAD - Fierce fighting continues to rage across Afghanistan, where officials reported Tuesday security forces had reversed some of the recent advances by the Taliban, as U.S. and NATO allies wind up two decades of military presence in the country.   Taliban insurgents have dramatically expanded their area of control since the foreign troop pullout process formally started on May 1, overrunning about 60 districts and inflicting heavy casualties on U.S.-trained Afghan security forces.   The insurgent gains have fueled fears that a Taliban return to power is inevitable after all international soldiers leave Afghanistan by a September 11 deadline.  

  Washington reaffirmed Monday, however, that the U.S. troop drawdown was still on pace to conclude in line with President Joe Biden’s orders.   “We will complete the withdrawal of all U.S. forces out of Afghanistan with the exception of those that will be left to protect the diplomatic presence, and that it will be done before early September,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters.   “Those two things are constant and would not change,” he said.   The U.S. military said last week the withdrawal is more than halfway done.     Kirby also said, though, that American military leaders are closely studying and looking at the emerging Afghan situation in case it requires “changes made to the pace or to the scope and scale of the retrograde” process.     “We are looking at a range of options. I am not at liberty to confirm any specific one right now. But, again, our support for the Afghan forces once the retrograde is complete will be largely financial,” Kirby stressed.   Afghan authorities said Tuesday government security forces evicted the Taliban from several districts in northern and northeastern provinces of Balkh, Baghlan and Kunduz during overnight fighting, killing dozens of insurgents.     Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected official claims as propaganda. He wrote on Twitter that his group retained control of all the recently captured districts.