“The reason for our current situation is that the decision [to withdraw international troops] was taken abruptly,” Ashraf Ghani told the country’s parliament on Monday.

Presenting his security plan, Ghani expressed hope that the situation on the ground will be “under control within six months.”

The president also cited corruption and the delay of payments to security personnel as one of the pressing issues on the battlefield. TOLO News earlier quoted sources as saying that two senior commanders were accused of selling 300,000 liters of fuel that was reserved for the army.

The militants have been steadily gaining ground in recent months, capitalizing on the last stages of the planned departure of US forces.

Last week, the Taliban ramped up assaults on the provincial capitals of Kandahar, Herat, and Lashkar Gah, where intense fighting continued on Monday. Flights were suspended in Kandahar’s airport on Sunday after the runway was damaged by rocket fire.