WITH the hasty withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan, conflicts between Taliban militants and Afghan government forces have been intensifying, leading to a rapid deterioration of security in the war-battered country in recent months. Here is a timeline of the recent situation changes in Afghanistan: Aug. 15: Former Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country. — The Taliban ordered its forces to enter Kabul city. A curfew was imposed in Kabul starting 9 p.m. local time on Sunday to prevent violence. — Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed there were talks about a peaceful takeover of power. Aug. 13: Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the Taliban had taken 18 provincial capitals of the country’s 34 provinces. Aug. 12: The White House announced that the United States was withdrawing personnel from its embassy in Kabul and would deploy 3,000 troops to Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport to facilitate the drawdown. Aug. 11: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan told local media that Islamabad was not taking sides in Afghanistan, and that Pakistan had “made it very clear” that it does not want any American military bases in Pakistan after U.S. forces exit Afghanistan. Aug. 10: U.S. President Joe Biden said that Afghan troops must fight for themselves as multiple cities have fallen to the Taliban. The United States will continue to provide Afghan forces with close air support, food, equipment, and salaries, he said. Aug. 8: Taliban militants took control over Taluqan city, capital of Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province Aug. 6: Zaranj, the smallest Afghan provincial capital, was the first Afghan city seized by Taliban militants since the U.S. withdrawal on May 1. — Afghanistan is at a historic conjuncture of war and peace, Dai Bing, charge d’affaires of China’s permanent mission to the United Nations, told the Security Council. Aug. 5: The European Union released a statement, condemning the significant escalation of violence across Afghanistan, and calling for “an urgent, comprehensive and permanent cease-fire.” Aug. 2: Ghani blamed the withdrawal of U.S. troops for the worsening situation, and revealed a six-month security plan to change the security situation in the conflict-battered country. July 8: An intra-Afghan dialogue held between high-ranking delegates of the Afghan Government and the Taliban group concluded in Iran’s capital Tehran. The two parties agreed that war is not a solution to Afghanistan’s political conflicts. — Biden said that U.S. military mission in Afghanistan will conclude Aug. 31. July 6: The U.S. Central Command said that the U.S. military had completed over 90 percent of the withdrawal. July 2: All U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan have evacuated the Bagram Airfield near the Afghan capital Kabul and handed over the largest coalition base to the Afghan government troops. May 1: U.S. and NATO troops began to pull out from Afghanistan. (Xinhua） | 