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Two Killed, 30 Injured in Taliban Attack in Eastern Afghanistan, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Two civilians are dead and 30 others sustained injuries in a Taliban* attack during a National Flag Day celebration in the eastern Afghan province of Khost, national media reported Saturday, citing the governor's office.
Sputnik
The attack took place in the Yaqubi district, TOLOnews said, without providing further details regarding the attack.
Afghanistan is witnessing a spike in violence, as the Taliban has stepped up territorial advances during the withdrawal of international troops from the country. The militants have captured swathes of rural areas and started an offensive on large cities.
U.S. troops to withdraw from Afghanistan
According to recent reports, as of July, the Taliban was in control of 212 of Afghanistan's 426 districts, with the Afghan government in charge of 111 districts. 
US forces, however, are continuing their withdrawal in accordance with a peace deal Washington and the Taliban signed in February 2020. The American military is leaving the country after an almost 20-year campaign, while the group has pledged not to allow Afghanistan to become a safe haven for terrorists.
​*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries
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