KABUL, 03 August 2021, (TON): The Afghan president blamed the American troops’ speedy pullout for the worsening violence in his country and said that his administration would now focus on protecting provincial capitals and major urban areas in the face of the rapidly advancing Taliban.

Ashraf Ghani also urged lawmakers to back a national mobilization drive against the Taliban amid an intensifying war between the Taliban and Afghan government forces over the past few months as US and NATO troops complete their pullout from the war-torn country.

Ghani said in his address to Parliament “an imported, hasty peace process, a reference to Washington’s push for negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban, not only failed to bring peace but created doubt and ambiguity among Afghans.”

The Afghan president arrived by helicopter for the extraordinary session of the house, called because of the dire situation on the ground. Ghani touched down at the Darul Aman Palace in Kabul and inspected an honor guard before heading inside. The Taliban are now trying to seize provincial capitals after already taking large swaths of land and scores of districts in more rural areas, as well as several key border crossings with neighboring countries.