The Taliban have taken over the Afghan city of Herat, capping three weeks of furious fighting in which both men and women took up arms to defend their city while many residents fled gunfights and rocket attacks.

The fall of Herat follows a two-month advance by the Taliban to take control of Afghanistan during the withdrawal of U.S. troops that began in May 2021. American and Afghan politicians such as Fawzia Koofi warned that the withdrawal would have “huge consequences,” but the speed with which the Taliban have gained territory has surprised many.

Herat, located in western Afghanistan about 75 miles from the border with Iran, is Aghanistan’s third-largest city and is considered its cultural capital because of its spectacular architecture, fine arts community and historical sites. It has been sacked and rebuilt since the days of Alexander the Great in the fourth century B.C..

Some experts fear the cultural heritage of Afghanistan is at risk under Taliban rule.

Also at risk is one of Afghanistan’s biggest dams: the internationally financed Afghan-India Friendship Dam, formerly the Salma Dam, on the Harirud River. It’s the main source of electricity and irrigation water for hundreds of thousands of people in western Afghanistan.

Critical infrastructure

We are two scholars – one American, one Afghan – who have both studied and written about energy, natural resources and water in Afghanistan. One of us, Asef Ghafoory, is from Herat and has watched as the Taliban have assaulted his home city – and the nearby dam – in recent weeks.

On Aug. 12, Taliban fighters seized police stations and government buildings in Herat and filled the streets, shooting their guns in celebration of this major military victory.

Afghanistan’s economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, so dams and water infrastructure are critical for livelihoods, as well as for drinking water and public hygiene. According to the World Bank, about 70% of Afghans live and work in rural areas and depend upon agriculture – and the dams for irrigation.

Read more:
https://theconversation.com/taliban-seize-herat-and-assault-nearby-dam-that-provides-water-and-power-to-hundreds-of-thousands-of-afghans-165722