The Taliban completed their sweep of Afghanistan's south on Friday, taking four more provincial capitals in a lightning offensive that brought them closer to Kabul just weeks before the U.S. is set to officially end its two-decade war.
In the last 24 hours, the country's second- and third-largest cities — Herat in the west and Kandahar in the south — have fallen to the insurgents, as has the capital of the southern province of Helmand, where American, British and NATO forces fought some of the bloodiest battles of the conflict.
Also watch: Taliban cautions India against military presence
US officials are expecting Taliban to make a move on Kabul within days. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Friday said that it is evident that the Taliban are trying to isolate the Afghan capital.
The US military has estimated that Kabul could come under insurgent pressure within 30 days and that the Taliban could overrun the rest of the country within a few months. They have already taken over much of the north and west of the country.
US is sending around 3000 troops to evacuate embassy personnel and Afghan allies and they expect to complete it by the withdrawal deadline of August 31 but officials said that the troops may have to stay longer longer if the embassy is threatened by a Taliban takeover of Kabul by then.