Taliban insurgents tightened their grip on captured Afghan territory on Tuesday as civilians hid in their homes, with an EU official saying the group now controls 65% of the country after a string of sudden gains as foreign forces pull out.
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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called on regional strongmen to support his government, while a UN official said advances made in human rights in the 20 years since the hardline Islamists were ousted from power were in danger of being erased.
In the capital Kabul, Ghani's aides said he was seeking help from regional militias he has squabbled with over the years to rally to the defense of his government. He had also appealed to civilians to defend Afghanistan's "democratic fabric."
