Editing Ismail Khan (section)

==2021 Taliban offensive and capture==
In July 2021, Ismail Khan mobilized hundreds of his loyalists in Herat in support of the [[Afghan Armed Forces]] to defend the city from [[2021 Taliban offensive|an offensive by the Taliban]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ismail Khan mobilises hundreds in Herat to fight Taliban |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/862159-ismail-khan-mobilises-hundreds-in-herat-to-fight-taliban |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805112939/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/862159-ismail-khan-mobilises-hundreds-in-herat-to-fight-taliban |archive-date=2021-08-05 |access-date=2021-08-05 |website=www.thenews.com.pk}}</ref> Despite this, the city fell on 12 August 2021.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite news |last1=Varshalomidze |first1=Tamila |last2=Siddiqui |first2=Usaid |title=Taliban claims to have taken Kandahar as onslaught continues |language=en |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/afghanistan-taliban-kandahar-prison-police-ghazni-live-updates |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812162117/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/afghanistan-taliban-kandahar-prison-police-ghazni-live-updates |archive-date=2021-08-12}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |date=2021-08-13 |title=Taliban detain veteran militia chief Khan in Afghanistan's Herat - official |language=en |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-detain-veteran-militia-chief-khan-afghanistans-herat-official-2021-08-13/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813093820/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-detain-veteran-militia-chief-khan-afghanistans-herat-official-2021-08-13/ |archive-date=2021-08-13}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news |last=Trofimov |first=Yaroslav |date=2021-08-13 |title=Taliban Seize Kandahar, Prepare to March on Afghan Capital Kabul |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/taliban-seize-kandahar-prepare-to-march-on-kabul-11628846975 |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813101806/https://www.wsj.com/articles/taliban-seize-kandahar-prepare-to-march-on-kabul-11628846975 |archive-date=2021-08-13 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> After trying to escape by helicopter, Khan was captured by the Taliban.<ref name="auto2" /><ref name="auto1" /><ref name="auto" /> The Taliban interviewed him shortly after and claimed that he and his forces have joined them.<ref name="auto" /><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1426103328698732545 |user=TGhazniwal |title=Short Interview of Warlord #Ismail_Khan after his capturing in #Herat |author=Tariq Ghazniwal |author-link=Tariq Ghazniwal}}</ref> After negotiating with the Taliban, he was allowed to return to his residence.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-08-13 |title=Taliban captures Afghan commander Ismail Khan after fall of Herat |language=en |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/13/taliban-capture-afghan-commander-ismail-khan-after-fall-of-herat |access-date=2021-08-14 |archive-date=2021-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813141126/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/13/taliban-capture-afghan-commander-ismail-khan-after-fall-of-herat |url-status=live }}</ref>

After leaving Taliban custody, as of August 2021 Khan is living in [[Mashhad]], [[Iran]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Jaafari |first=Shirin |date=August 16, 2021 |title=Former warlord Ismail Khan led a militia against the Taliban. He spoke to The World days before Afghans lost the fight. |url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2021-08-16/former-warlord-ismail-khan-led-militia-against-taliban-he-spoke-world-days |work=[[The World (radio program)|The World]] |publisher=[[Public Radio Exchange]] |location=Cambridge, MA}}</ref> He said that a conspiracy was responsible for Herat being captured by the Taliban.<ref name="afghanistan-analysts_org" />