Daily US Times: On Saturday, the government of Afghanistan imposed a curfew across almost all of the country in an attempt to stop the Taliban from invading cities.

Aside from the capital city of Kabul and two other provinces, all movements will be banned between 22:00 and 04:00.

Fighting between the Afghan government forces and Taliban has escalated over the past two months as US and NATO troops withdraw from the country.

Taliban – a fundamentalist Islamist militia who were pushed out of power by the US invasion nearly 20 years ago – is estimated to have captured up to half of all territory.

The militant group has moved swiftly in the wake of the US withdrawal, retaking border crossings and other territory in rural areas.

The Taliban has also seized key roads as it seeks to cut off supply routes.

Its fighters have been closing in on a number of major cities, but haven’t yet been able to capture one.

The Afghan interior ministry said in a statement: “To curb violence and limit the Taliban movements a night curfew has been imposed in 31 provinces,” adding that Kabul, Nangarhar and Panjshir were exempt.

As the Taliban continues to capture more and more lands in the country, fierce clashes have taken place this week on the outskirts of the city of Kandahar.

In response, the United States launched airstrikes against Taliban targets in the area on Thursday. But with US operations in the country officially due to end on 31 August, there are concerns about the months ahead.

US-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in October 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11 attack. The group had been harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders linked to the attacks.

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