News / Pakistan

Taliban seize district in western Afghanistan

Tuesday, 22 December 2015 6:49 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 22 December 2015 6:49 PM ]

Afghanistan National Army (ANA) soldiers take position during an operation against Taliban militants in Ghazni, eastern Afghanistan, on October 14, 2015. (AFP photo)

Taliban militants have taken control of a district in Afghanistan’s western province of Farah, local residents say.

Local residents and witnesses told PressTV correspondent that Taliban militants overran Gulistan district on Tuesday, and captured several government buildings as well as security outposts there.

More than 15 Afghan security forces have reportedly been killed in fierce clashes with militants over the past hours in the troubled region.

Senior Afghan authorities in Kabul have yet to comment on the incident.

Farah Province has been the scene of clashes between Taliban militants and government forces over the past months.

The Taliban have recently mounted fierce attacks in several parts of Afghanistan, including the southern province of Helmand and the northern province of Kunduz.

The file photo shows Taliban militants in Afghanistan.

Taliban on Sunday tightened its grip on Helmand by taking control of the district of Sangin. Officials later said the group had taken control of all police and military installations in the area, adding that Helmand is on brink of falling to the militants.

On Monday, at least six NATO soldiers, including three US troops, have been killed in an attack on a patrol near Bagram Air Base in the eastern Afghan province of Parwan.

The militants also stormed Kunduz on September 28 and held it for three days before being driven out by the Afghan army.

Afghanistan faces a security challenge years after the United States and its allies invaded the country in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror.

The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but after more than 14 years militants are continuing their deadly attacks across the country.

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