KABUL (SW) – Reports obtained by Salam Watandar suggest the Taliban captured eight more districts amid raging violence across the country.
The districts of Mardian in Jawzjan, Baharak and Bangi in Takhar, Khwaja Sabzposh in Faryab, Mirzakah in Paktia, Anardara and Pusht Koh in Farah, and Dara Soof of Samangan have fallen to the Taliban.
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According to members of the Jawzjan Provincial Council, lack of timely support caused the district to collapse. Mullah Amruddin Daneshjoo, the deputy head of the provincial council, said the Taliban launched a large-scale offensive to seize the police headquarters and provincial administration headquarters in Mardian district.
According to the deputy of Jawzjan provincial council, the Taliban have captured 14 security forces and the fate of 26 others who were wounded or killed is unknown.
Jawzjan residents feat if this situation continued Mangjik, Faizabad and Aqcha districts of the province would also fall to the insurgents.
Baharak district of Takhar has also been captured by the Taliban, a credible source in Takhar, who did not want to be identified, said. The source said 75 people, including police and NDS soldiers, have surrendered to the Taliban despite all the fighting. On the other hand, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, confirmed the complete collapse of Baharak district.
Fighting in Takhar has displaced many families seeking shelter in the provincial capital Taluqan.
The Khwaja Sabzposh district of Faryab province also fell to the Taliban. A local source in Faryab, who did not want to be identified, said that the district fell to the Taliban at around 1 am on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a security source, who did not want to be identified, said that army soldiers and the commander of the popular uprising force in the village of Kateh Qeshlaq in the district have been evacuated, leaving their bases and were moved to Maymana, the capital of Faryab.
The district police chief had already joined the Taliban with 13 other policemen. With the fall of Khwaja Sabzposh district to the Taliban, the battle line has reached the Maymana city, raising concerns among residents.
In Paktia province, a number of members of the provincial council, who did not want to be identified, said the security forces left the district building last night without any attacks or resistance and that the district had been taken over by the Taliban. The Taliban have also claimed to have taken full control of Mirzakah district.
Elsewhere, the districts of Anardara and Pusht Koh in Farah, Bangi in Takhar and Dara Soof in Samangan were also reportedly captured by the Taliban.
