The border crossings in Herat Province were captured by the Taliban on 9 July, raising prices of goods inside the city.

The next day Ismail Khan and other senior security officials including a deputy for the interior ministry, an army corps commander and an intelligence director, along with thousands of government forces, surrendered to the Taliban.

[13] On 9 July, the Taliban captured eight districts of Herat Province and two major border towns, Islam Qala and Torghundi, in a 24 hour period.

The eight districts captured were Karukh, Kohsan, Gulran, Kushki Kuhna, Kushk, Shindand, Adraskan, and Pashtun Zarghun.

[19] Following the capture of 8 districts in the province in one day on 9 July, the Taliban advanced close to the city.

That same day Ismail Khan, former warlord and prominent member of Jamiat-e Islami, called up his followers to secure and defend Herat and then recapture the surrounding districts.

[24][25] The next day, fighting reached the Malan Bridge, which crosses the Hari river about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of the city.

The United Nations office in Herat was also attacked by gunfire and grenades, killing a security guard and wounding others.

[31] Due to the fighting, all flights were cancelled at Herat International Airport, located 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) south of the city.

[6] On 2 August clashes occurred at least 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the city center between government aligned forces and the Taliban, mostly in districts 2, 3, 7, and 14.

[a][34] Heratis also chanted "Allahu akbar" ("God is Great") in the streets in support of the government and allied forces.

Governor Abdul Saboor Qani said that the Taliban faced a huge response from security forces.

[39] That same day in the early evening, Taliban fighters broke through the defensive lines, entered the city, and took control.

[43] According to Khalid Pashtoon, senior adviser to the Afghan high peace council, government troops surrendered in Herat which led to its fall.

The capture provided the Taliban with a strong symbol of fading resistance in Herat in addition to claiming that Khan had defected to their side.