Taliban Claims It Now Controls 85% Of Afghanistan's Territory

Taliban said that the US withdrawal was a result of the Taliban bringing Afghanistan's population over to its side under the "principle of Islam".

The Taliban said Friday it now controls 85 percent of Afghanistan's territory as the militants mount an offensive amid a US military withdrawal, though the group's claims cannot be independently verified. At a press conference in Moscow, Taliban negotiator Shahabuddin Delawar said that "85 percent of Afghanistan's territory" is under the group's control, including some 250 of the country's 398 districts. "All administrative bodies and hospitals continue their work on this territory. We ensured their functionality," he said. Delawar said that the US withdrawal was a result of the Taliban bringing Afghanistan's population over to its side under the "principle of Islam".