WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2021) The idea that the Taliban's ongoing offensive in Afghanistan is unstoppable is not the reality on the ground, US State Department Press Secretary Ned price said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
"The idea that the continued Taliban advance is unstoppable, that there's nothing that can stand in the way, that we'll just have to watch it unfold, that is not the reality on the ground," Price said.
Price added that despite recent gains made by the Taliban, Afghanistan's government security forces still total roughly 300,000 strong, greatly outnumbering the Taliban in addition to having US and other international support.
The Taliban have been reclaiming large portions of the country as US and NATO forces near the completion of their withdrawal, resulting in what Price called "unacceptably high" and inconsistent with agreements made in February 2020.
The rise in violence has led the US to consider further drawdowns in staff at the embassy in Kabul, with officials expediting the decision-making process as the Taliban gains territory more quickly than anticipated.
