Taliban Launches Massive Offensive in West Afghanistan

With the Taliban already engaging in several offensives across Afghanistan, they’ve really got the government on the defensive. Friday, they added to the fighting, with a new offensive against Farah City in Western Afghanistan.

Heavy clashes are reported in several parts of Farah Province, and while police say the Taliban have been pushed out of the city, they seem to be moving to continue to contest the territory.

The Taliban controls much of Farah Province going into this fight. The province is an important opium-farming area which is a potential source of revenue. With control over much of the surrounding area, it’s only natural they would also want the provincial capital.

Opponents of the ongoing US-Taliban peace process have been trying to sell recent Taliban offensives as proof they can’t be trusted to make peace. Taliban officials say they want to keep leverage to push the peace deal through with such fights.