Can the Taliban be stopped?

The Taliban is continuing to seize parts of Afghanistan and now much of the world is asking – can they be stopped?

The cities of Ghazni and Herat fell to the militant group just hours ago, with concerns mounting that the nation’s capital of Tabul is not far off.

This has prompted U-S officials to urgently deploy American troops to withdraw all remaining personnel before it’s too late.

In what is a major blow to Afghanistan’s security forces, thousands of civilians have been displaced and many have fled to Kabul for safety.

Military experts say the overtaking of Ghazni is worrying and significant given its close proximity to the capital and its position on the country’s major motorway.

The US Embassy also says the Taliban is executing Afghan troops who were surrendering, calling the violence “deeply disturbing”.

A joint statement issued after the talks said the participants reaffirmed that they would not recognise any government in Afghanistan “imposed through the use of military force” and are committed to reconstruction assistance once a “viable” political settlement is reached.