An updated map of #Afghanistan [late Aug 8, 2021]. The Taliban forces are going south; clashes around Herat.

For the last 24 hours, we updated our #Afghanistan two times. The Taliban forces overran Sar-i-Pul, taken government buildings driving officials out of the main city to a nearby military base. Same situation in Kunduz.

Updated map of #Afghanistan [Aug 9]. Taliban fighters seize Aibak, the capital of Samangan – the sixth provincial capital to fall in four days. The Taliban also reportedly cut the road between Herat and Qala e Nau.

A Saudi court issued jail sentences for 69 Palestinians and Jordanians on charges of supporting #Hamas. The detainees, who have been held in #SaudiArabia since 2019, include business people, students, and academics.

#Sudan announced it is recalling its ambassador to #Ethiopia after the country refused Sudan’s offer to mediate a cease-fire in the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The recall comes amid tensions between the countries over Ethiopia’s dam on the Blue Nile river.

❗Mozambican and Rwandan forces said they took back control of the northern Mozambican town of Mocimboa da Praia from the ISIS-linked fighters.

A coordinated #cyberattack, which most likely originated in #China, hit dozens of Israeli government and private organizations, according to the international cybersecurity company FireEye.

This is the first documented case of a large-scale Chinese attack on Israel. It was part of a broader campaign that targeted many other countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Thailand. FireEye has been monitoring the operation for two years.

According to the company’s report, the Israeli targets included state bodies and as well as private organizations from the fields of shipping, high-tech, telecommunications, defense, academia and information technology. (Haaretz)

The Pentagon announced plans to require all 1.3m active-service American troops to get vaccinated against covid-19 by mid-September. Around 64% are already there.

All are accustomed to mandatory vaccinations, but a waiver would be needed to give them a shot which has only emergency approval. Joe Biden plans to wait until the Food and Drug Administration has approved the Pfizer vaccine, expected this month. (Economist)

#NorthKorea did not answer a daily call on a newly established military hotline with #SouthKorea hours after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, criticized joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington.

#Thailand: At least 10 pro-democracy activists were arrested after protests against the monarchy over the weekend. They were denied bail, a human rights lawyer said. When students first called for the reform of the monarchy in protests last year, they broke a longstanding taboo in a country where the monarchy has long been a deeply revered institution with the king holding an almost God-like status.

The royal family is also protected by strict royal defamation laws carrying penalties of up to 15 years in prison.

Alert: Taliban overruns the city of Farah in southwest #Afghanistan, the seventh provincial capital to fall to the group in five days.

🔴 Death toll in #Algeria forest fires rises to 42, including 25 soldiers, says government

An updated map of #Afghanistan [morning Aug 11]:

- the Taliban has captured 9 provincial capitals since Friday, including Faizabad, Farah, Pul-e-Khumri, Sar-e-Pul, Sheberghan, Aybak, Kunduz, Taluqan, and Zaranj;

- the Taliban in control of Kunduz airport also;

⚡️ The Taliban has captured police headquarters in Lashkar Gah; they launch attacks on Ghazni from several directions, and the fighting is still active despite their claiming of taking control of the city.

⚡️The US reducing staff at Kabul Embassy to 'core diplomatic presence,' State Dept. says amid deteriorating security in Afghanistan

Taliban take control of another military corps and airport in Herat, detain veteran Afghan politician Ismail Khan, Deputy Interior Minister Abdul Rehman.

🔴The Taliban has captured the key city of Lashkar Gah in southern Afghanistan, a day after the group claimed control over Kandahar and Herat, the country’s second and third largest cities.

⚡️ Sharana, the capital city of the province of Paktika, was captured today by the Taliban forces, local officials said.

The Taliban are in control of 19 out of 34 provincial capitals of #Afghanistan.

❗️Maymana, the provincial capital of Faryab has been taken by the Taliban.

⚡️The Taliban have taken Mazar-e-Sharif - the last major city in the north #Afganistan that was under government control.

A powerful earthquake has struck #Haiti, killing at least 227 people.
The 7.2-magnitude quake hit the west of the country on Saturday morning, toppling and damaging buildings including churches and hotels. (BBC)