The Mystery of Ephraim

“And I will set My face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies; they that hate you shall reign over you, and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.” Leviticus 26:17

ABC NEWS / August 11, 2021

Empires killers, the Talibans had killed off the British Empire, then the Soviet Empire, now the American Empire. Not really, US forces had already retreated before the latest Taliban surge, so there were no face-to-face humiliation as was the case during the Vietnam retreat with their Saigon roof-top moment.

As of August 11, within a five day period, the Islamist insurgents have already overrun seven provincial capitals in the north, west and south, setting up the group to make an eventual bid for the biggest prize of all: the national capital, Kabul. 

Taliban insurgents have tightened their grip on captured Afghan territory as civilians hid in their homes, and a European Union official said the militants now control 65 per cent of the country.

About 400,000 Afghans have been displaced in recent months and there has been an increase in numbers of people fleeing to Iran over the past 10 days, the EU official said.

Seventh provincial capital falls to Taliban as blitz takes Afghan forces by surprise.

The Taliban, ousted in the weeks after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, appeared to be in a position to advance from different directions on Mazar-i-Sharif. 

The fall of Mazar-i-Sharif would deal a devastating blow to Mr Ghani’s government.

Atta Mohammad Noor, a northern militia commander, vowed to defend Mazar-i-Sharif to the end, saying there would be “resistance until the last drop of my blood”.

Seven Provinces already fallen to the Taliban

1 / August 6 — ZARANJ

The Taliban take over the city in Nimroz province in the south of the country, the first provincial capital to fall to the insurgents since they stepped up attacks on Afghan forces in early May.

2 / August 7 — SHEBERGHAN

The Taliban declare they have captured the entire northern province of Jawzjan, including its capital Sheberghan. Heavy fighting is reported in the city, and government buildings are taken over by the insurgents. Afghan security forces say they are still fighting there.

3 / August 8 — SAR-E-PUL

The insurgents take control of Sar-e-Pul, capital of the northern province of the same name. It is the first of three provincial centres to fall on the same day.

4 / August 8 — KUNDUZ

Taliban fighters seize control of the northern city of 270,000 people, regarded as a strategic prize as it lies at the gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia. Government forces say they are resisting the insurgents from an army base and the airport.

5 /August 8 — TALOQAN

The capital of Takhar province, also in the north, falls to the Taliban in the evening. They free prisoners and force government officials to flee.

6 /August 9 — AYBAK

The capital of the northern province of Samangan is overrun by Taliban fighters.

7 /August 10 – FARAH

Capital of the western province of Farah.

President Ashraf Ghani called on regional strongmen to support his shaky government, while a UN official said advances made in human rights in the 20 years since the hard-line Islamists were ousted from power were in danger of being erased.

In the capital of Kabul, Mr Ghani’s aides said he was seeking help from regional militias he has squabbled with over the years to rally to the defence of his wobbling government. 

Mr Ghani had also appealed to civilians to defend his American-imposed “democratic fabric”.

The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies; thou shalt go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them, and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. Deuteronomy 28:25

~ by Joel Huan on August 11, 2021.

Posted in Armageddon, Ephraim, US