President Ashraf Ghani flew to Mazar-e-Sharif on Wednesday to rally old warlords to the defence of the biggest city in the north. Ghani convened a meeting, which was attended by top leaders including Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum and Atta Mohammad Noor. The leaders discussed the security situation in the north and chalked out the plan to defend Mazar-e-Sharif from Taliban.

The Taliban are continuing with their offensive to capture the remaining areas in Afghanistan in an effort to establish an Islamic Emirate. They are concentrating all their efforts to capture Mazar-e-Sharif, a bustling city in the north and the capital of Balkh province.

Some politicians in Balkh province have established a new mobilisation council in the province to protect the city. This council consists of officials and representatives of the parties and has elected former Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor as its chairman. India has already evacuated its staff from Mazar-e-Sharif in the wake of raging fighting.

With US and NATO forces announcing withdrawal from the country, the Taliban have intensified their assault on major cities and seized control of Sar-e-Pul, Sheberghan, Aybak, Kunduz, Taluqan, Pul-e-Khumri, Farah, Zaranj.