PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): The Tala wa Barfak district of northern Baghlan province has been overrun by the Taliban, who also captured the Khawaja Ghar town of Takhar province, residents and officials said on Thursday.
A former jihadi commander from Tala wa Barfak district, Khairullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News the district was overrun by militants at 11pm.He said the town’s police chief and security forces had to the Roi Duab district of neighbouring Samangan province.
The insurgents were in control of the district center, expelling security personnel and civil servants, he claimed.“When I came to the Shotor Jangal area of Dushi district, Taliban had blocked the road...”
Meanwhile, the Taliban said they had captured Tala wa Barfak and seized five Ranger pick-ups, two tanks, weapons and ammunition.The group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said several security personnel had suffered casualties during clashes.
A day earlier, the militants took control of the Khwaja Ghar district of Takhar province and the Imam Sahib District of Kunduz.However, they have been forced from the capital of Kunduz.
The Takhar governor’s spokesman, Sunatullah Timori, confirmed coordinated attacks on the district centre on Wednesday night.He said the militants, after hours of clashes with security forces, overran the entire district on Thursday morning.
“Afghan forces have retreated from the district centre, but they would soon launch an operation to regain the town’s control,” Timori said, explaining the retreat was aimed to protect civilian lives.
On the other hand, the Qala Zal district of Kunduz province also fallen to the insurgent movement.An influential figure from the district said the Aqtapa area of Qala Zal, where the district administration building, police headquarters and other government facilities are located, fell last night.
Abdul Shakoor said the security forces had retreated to Dasht-i-Abdan area and Sher Khan Port.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that the Qala Zal district was currently under their control and the fighters had also seized weapons and ammunition from the security forces.
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