Afghanistan 

• Afghanistan’s second-largest city, Kandahar is under Taliban control. [Link] The Taliban captured the capital of the Uruzgan province. [Link]
• The US is carrying several airstrikes a day. Many of the strikes are targeting US equipment captured by the Taliban. [Link]
• CENTCOM head Gen. McKenzie says he is concerned the Taliban taking over Afghanistan will allow al-Qaeda to regrow in the country. [Link]
• The US is looking for promises from the Taliban that they will not attack the US embassy. [Link]
• The US will deploy 3,000 troops to Afghanistan to assist with the evacuation of the embassy and Afghans who assisted the US. [Link]
• The US presented a ceasefire proposal to the Afghan government and Taliban. [Link]
• Germany says it will not provide Afghanistan with aid if the Taliban implement Sharia Law. [Link]
• Chia is prepared to recognize the Taliban if they take over Afghanistan. [Link]

Iraq

• A Turkish soldier died from rocket fire on Turkey’s military base in northern Iraq. Turkey says the Kurdish PKK was behind the attack. [Link]

Ethiopia

• Biden deployed his special envoy to the Horn of Africa to Ethiopia as regions of the country fight each other. [Link]