The militants entered the city on Friday afternoon, according to media reports corroborated by footage circulating online.
The development was confirmed to Reuters by Nimroz’s police spokesperson, with the official, who remained anonymous for security reasons, blaming the fall of the city on a lack of reinforcements from Afghanistan’s central government.
Footage shared online purports to show Taliban militants entering the city en-masse, on foot as well as riding atop a column of captured government armored vehicles.
وصلت فرقة القوات الخاصة للطالبان من فراه إلى ولاية نيمروز لتصفية مقر الشرطة و مركز الولاية من القوات الحكومية.
كل الولاية بيد طالبان سوى مقر الشرطة و مبنى الولاية. pic.twitter.com/MkoktV0nLH— روح الله عمر الأفغاني (@roohullahumar1) August 6, 2021
The militants reportedly also broke into a local prison, freeing inmates from the facility.
The Taliban broke the Nimroz prison and released hundreds of prisoners. #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/cVfmemYBZ1
— Maajid Lone🇵🇸 (@LoneMaajid) August 6, 2021
The city apparently fell into hands of the Taliban largely without fighting, imagery from the scene suggests.
It was not immediately clear whether the local security forces fled or defected to the Taliban.
The Taliban entered to Zaranj city, the provincial capital of Nimroz without any fighting. pic.twitter.com/HuXjlZsaw3
— Fahim Abed (@fahimabed) August 6, 2021
In recent weeks, the resurgent group has launched a fresh major offensive against government forces, capturing large swaths of territory and establishing control over multiple border crossings.
The Islamist militants have also put pressure on several provincial capitals, including such major cities as Kandahar in the south and Herat in the west.
Before the capture of Zaranj, however, the Taliban’s territorial gains primarily occurred in sparsely-populated rural areas.
Header: Soldiers from the Afghan National Army try to free their vehicle after it got stuck in mud. © Getty Images / Scott Olson
Notes:
The Taliban took over a provincial capital in Afghanistan and also assassinated a top government media officer on Friday, reported Reuters.
A source told Reuters that the Taliban had overtaken the governor’s office, the police building and an area near the border with Iran.
Meanwhile, in Kabul the Taliban killed government spokesman Dawa Khan Menapal. The murder of Menapal, who was the head of the Government Media and Information Centre, is seen as a major blow to the government of Afghani President Ashraf Ghani.
A federal interior ministry official said that Menapal was killed during Friday prayers.