The evacuation orders came as the Taliban took control of Kandahar -- their spiritual heartland and the nation's second-biggest city -- leaving only Kabul and small pockets of holdouts in government hands.
The scale and speed of the onslaught has shocked Afghans and the US-led alliance that poured billions into the country after toppling the Taliban in the wake of the September 11 attacks nearly 20 years ago.
Security forces have capitulated on fronts, with individual soldiers, units and even whole divisions surrendering -- handing the insurgents even more vehicles and military hardware to fuel their lightning advance.
Pul-e-Alam, capital of Loghar province, was the latest city to fall Friday, putting the Taliban just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Kabul.
Khairddin Logari, a resident of the capital, summed up the confusion.
"We don't know what is going on," he told AFP.
The Taliban offensive was launched in early May after US President Joe Biden ordered the start of a final withdrawal due to be complete by the end of the month, leaving the battlefield to the insurgents.
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