VIDEO. In Afghanistan, these inhabitants fleeing the Taliban

As a symbol ... Just hours after the departure of American and NATO troops from the Bagram military base, the Taliban continue to gain ground. They seized on Sunday the key district of Panjwai, in their former stronghold in the southern province of Kandahar, after nightly fighting against the Afghan forces, a new take on the approach of the total withdrawal of the American troops. Since Washington began repatriating its troops from Afghanistan on May 1 after 20 years of war, the Taliban have stepped up their offensives against Afghan forces to take control of many rural areas across the country.

Located about fifteen km from the city of Kandahar, the provincial capital, Panjwai was for a long time a Taliban center and the scene for years of major fighting between rebels and NATO troops.

The Taliban takeover of this district - where their leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is from - has prompted dozens of families to flee the area.

The capture of Panjwai by the Taliban comes two days after the departure of American and NATO troops from Bagram, their most important base in Afghanistan, located 50 km north of Kabul and the nerve center of the coalition's operations against the Islamist insurgents over the past 20 years.