Taliban continues advance after capturing two major Afghan cities

A Taliban flag flies at a square in the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan, after fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces (Gulabuddin Amiri/AP)

Afghanistan’s rapidly-advancing Taliban insurgents have entered a western provincial capital only hours after taking the country’s second and third largest cities in a lightning advance just weeks before America is set to end its longest war.

The capture of Kandahar and Herat represent the biggest prizes yet for the Taliban, who have taken 12 of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals as part of a week-long blitz.