Second Afghan city falls as Taliban tighten noose over countryside

The Taliban have gained vast parts of rural Afghanistan since launching a series of offensives in May to coincide with the start of the final withdrawal of foreign troops

The Taliban seized the stronghold of a notorious Afghan warlord on Saturday, officials said, the second provincial capital to fall to the insurgents in less than 24 hours. The deputy governor of Sheberghan city in Jawzjan said government forces and officials had retreated to the airport on the outskirts of the northern Afghan city, where they were preparing to defend themselves. "The city has unfortunately fallen completely," Jawzjan deputy governor Qader Malia told AFP.