US officials have said the insurgents could make a move within days on the city, whose population of 5 million people has been swollen with thousands fleeing other parts of the country
Evacuation orders come as the Taliban took control of Kandahar -- the nation's second-biggest city -- in the insurgency's heartland, leaving only Kabul and pockets of other territories in government hands
Government and senior armed forces officials flew by helicopter out of the government's last stronghold in the town at about midnight on Thursday, said the official
He and the 20,000 men under his command have garnered thousands of followers, with their Twitter accounts awash with images of the general among the troops, posing for selfies with young civilians, and meeting local shopkeepers
Fighting has intensified since early May, with the insurgents capitalising on the final stages of the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces after almost 20 years
Afghan security forces have thus far held back the Taliban's attempt to take the city with the help of the Afghan air force, but operations were hampered by the presence of civilians in the area