Blinken Says Taliban Make Advances In Afghanistan On Ground

The Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) is making advances in Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, adding that reports of atrocities committed in areas controlled by militants are "troubling."

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th July, 2021) The Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) is making advances in Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, adding that reports of atrocities committed in areas controlled by militants are "troubling."

"Yes, certainly, what we are seeing on the ground in the last week is the Taliban making advances on district centers, challenging some provincial capitals. We have also seen these reports of atrocities committed by the Taliban in areas that it has taken over that are deeply troubling and certainly do not speak well of the Taliban's intentions for the country as a whole," Blinken said in India during a joint press conference with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Taking over a country by force is not a path to achieve international recognition, Blinken added.

"The Taliban says that it seeks international recognition, that it wants international support for Afghanistan, presumably, it wants its leaders to be able to travel freely in the world, sanctions lifted, etc. Well, taking over a country by force and abusing the rights of its people is not the path to achieve those objectives," the US secretary of state said.